THE police team behind the Inkredible Art Project in Dunfermline and West Fife have been nominated for a national award.

PC Scott Morgan and PC Stewart Paton of the Dunfermline Central Community Team launched the project, which initially aimed to boost the confidence of budding young artists in the area and open doors to a career in the creative arts, in October last year.

The duo have now been nominated shortlisted for Team of the Year at the third annual Scottish Policing Excellence Awards on January, 30, at Scottish Police College at Tulliallan.

The current intake saw a group of 14 young people from across West Fife aged between 14 and 18 mentored by local tattoo artists and supported by a Fife Council Youth Worker and local officers.

They recently aided Dunfermline Delivers and Business in the Community regenerate an area of Bruce Street, Dunfermline, which had been forgotten.

PC Stewart Paton, of the Dunfermline Central Community Team, was delighted to hear that himself and PC Scott Morgan had finished in the top three, and were in contention for the overall award.

"Both myself and Scott are really pleased to have been firstly put forward, and then to actually be nominated for the award," he said.

"It's a reflection of the hard work the youngsters have put in.

"We've got one girl who has got into college with her work, and others who now have job opportunities on the horizon.

"The project has achieved boundaries we hadn't previously considered and we're looking to continue working with the young people involved in the project.

"We're pleased we've been able to engage with the young people of this community in a creative way."

The success of the project has prompted them to apply for funding to continue it for the next three years.