"Mike had a phone call one day, when he was sat down to dinner with his family at home, to say a little girl had run out of her family home, upset," he said.

"I think there was a letter left saying how she wanted to end it all, and within 20 minutes or half-an-hour, he was out and had brought the girl back to her family.

"You don't get that every day - you need a special kind of man to do that, and we are going to lose that guy, and it is a real, real shame.

"Mike is one of those who is a quite hands-on police officer, he is known by all the kids and the surf life-saving club and they respect him."

The petition that is to be presented to police chiefs says: "Sergeant Friday is more than just a supervisor in Hayle and the local district. He is completely committed to the community.

"Mike is the spearhead, the driving force behind so many community initiatives, particularly with young people.

"If anyone can persuade future generations that crime does not pay, to encourage young people to become active citizens, it's Mike Friday.

"Mike is a role model, a positive influence and an ambassador for the police force. He should be awarded an MBE for his role in the community, not tuck him away on a custody desk in Camborne police station!"

Trying to be philosophical, Sgt Friday said: "It came as a shock to me that they were relinquishing the post, but I recognise the need to do so because of the spending review.

"This is the place I live and love - I grew up here and my dad policed here before me.

"I have really enjoyed serving the communities of Hayle and St Ives and would ask people to continue to report any problems and crimes with the now-recognised 101 system."

The two towns will no longer have a sergeant to oversee them, but Supt Mark Bolt said law and order would be upheld.

"The post is not going because we want it to go... we have not got a choice," he said. "We will be very sad to see Mike go, but we have no other option and we knew this was coming."

He said the force was subject to the last comprehensive spending review, which forced the reduction of staff numbers, including neighbourhood-based sergeants, across the country.

Supt Bolt said he had made sure Sgt Friday was one of the last to go, but ultimately he could not prevent the loss.

He said Devon and Cornwall Police has "changed its policing strategy in west Cornwall to focus on preventing and investigating harm, which includes prioritising matters of domestic abuse and issues relating to vulnerable people including children".

Graham Coad - a former mayor of Hayle - described the job cuts as "savage", but said he recognised from his policing background that it was the "nature of the job".