CRIME suspects who have difficulty hearing will now be able to watch a video which offers reassurance and guidance about being in custody.

John Dwyer, police and crime commissioner for Cheshire has commissioned a video which has been produced by the Cheshire Deafness Support Network to support detainees who are profoundly deaf until a trained interpreter arrives to support them.

He said: "For anyone, this can be a worrying environment and even more so when English is not your first language.

"British Sign Language (BSL) is a language in its own right and some deaf people do not understand the spoken word as we do."

Gill Reeder, executive for operations from the Deafness Support Network added that it was important that detainees understand their rights and entitlements when in custody.

She said: "Something as simple as a search can feel very invasive to someone with hearing loss.

“This video has been filmed to offer reassurance and make sure that everyone is treated equitably."