A BLUE plaque honouring Sussex's first female police officer will be unveiled today by her nephew.

Gladys Moss was the very first female copper on the force when she was appointed back in 1919 to the then West Sussex Constabulary.

WPC Moss was one of the 30 women who applied for the role and picked up her hat and baton on November 15 that year.

She lived and worked in Worthing but due to the nature of her role - looking after women and children - she was taught to ride a motorcycle and served the whole of West Sussex for over 20 years.

Miss Moss retired in May 1941 at the age of 57 and her certificate of service bore the words "conduct - exemplary".

Today her nephew Derek Moss, and his wife Jean, together with chief officers from Sussex Police, police and crime commissioner Katy Bourne, and Mayor of Worthing Michael Donin will unveil the plaque at Worthing Assembly Hall in Stoke Abbott Road at 10.30am.

In Sussex, Evolve, the Sussex Police Women's Network Group, has organised events to ensure 100 years of women in policing is truly celebrated in Sussex.

This year is the Centenary of Women in Policing and this has been celebrated throughout the year by police forces across England and Wales.

The foundation of the history of women policing in Sussex was laid by members of the Suffrage Movement who, with the advent of the First World War, were finally permitted to undertake men's work as they served the nation.

Detective Inspector Jacqui Jenkins, who leads the Women in Policing Project Team, said: "We found that the stories, photographs and memories of the early female officers in Sussex were hard to trace, and largely forgotten.

"However, perseverance paid off and we were successful in uncovering an extensive history of many women officers and in particular, one pioneer officer - WPC Gladys Moss - stood out."