A transgender officer who identifies as a woman has prompted children who are struggling with gender identity 'to follow in her footsteps', a police force said today.

PC Skye Morden has been deluged by online trolls since going public and described the comments as 'swimming through a sea of hate'.

But West Midlands Police said today the officer's circumstances had also prompted emails from parents of children who are struggling with their own gender identity.

The force - speaking in a glossy video to mark Transgender Awareness Week - said it had 'opened their eyes' and sparked them 'want to now follow in the PC's footsteps'.

Communications manager Brigg Ford said: 'There's been a lot of hate messages out there but you can ignore those because the really important messages are those emails from parents of children who are struggling with their own gender identity.

'And those parents have reached out to Skye to say what you have done has been amazing and it's really opened my child's eyes and they want to now follow in your footsteps.'

PC Morden, who kept the secret for decades, came out to family and friends after 19 years in the force.

The 46-year-old had a marriage split for unrelated reasons four years ago.

It was then PC Morden, who now identifies as a woman, came out as transgender.

The officer has faced transphobic abuse from online trolls since coming out but says her policing colleagues have been supportive and helped weather the storm.

In a video to mark her second anniversary since coming out to colleagues, PC Morden said: 'Sometimes I do feel like I'm swimming through a sea of hate.

'When I came out and received an absolute avalanche of hate and abuse I reached out to the police LGBTQ network and I found a family.

The officer is now working to help other transgender officers feel comfortable and accepted at work.

This police officer and his police force is offering advice contrary to the advice of the NHS. That should warrant a formal complaint to the Independent Office of Police Conduct and HM Inspector of Constabularies (edit: probably have to be to either the Force itself or their PCC, and you need standing to make a complaint…so it’ll have to be someone local).