A rugby-playing police community support officer is swapping her beat for a pitch down under after winning a place on the England team’s tour of New Zealand.

Charlene Henegan, a 22-year-old PCSO from the North Bradford Neighbourhood Policing Team, will join the squad for the start of the tour tomorrow.

The Bradford Thunderbirds Rugby League Club winger is expected to take part in the two-Test series following her first England call-up in summer 2009.

Now the PCSO is looking forward to her chance to take on the Kiwis.

She said: “I was so pleased to keep my place and we can’t wait to get down there and start playing and hopefully come back with a win.

“I don’t think it’s sunk in yet that I’ve been selected again but I’m sure it soon will.

‘‘It’s just such a good feeling to pull on your country’s colours and represent your friends and family.”

She said she had enjoyed training with the England team as a way of laying the foundations for success in New Zealand against one of the best teams in world rugby.

PCSO Henegan started playing rugby league for Bradford Bulls girls before joining Victoria Rangers and then the Thunderbirds. She was picked on the wing for the England Women’s Rugby League team to face France in a two-Test series in July 2009.

North Bradford NPT Inspector Steve Greenbank, said: “We are proud of Charlene for winning and keeping a place on the England team and the stamina and fitness she has had to develop to secure her place on the tour to New Zealand stand her in good stead for her work as a PCSO in our community.”