A TAUNTON man who has helped police solve some horrific crimes has scooped a top accolade.

But Alastair Ruffell says becoming a grandfather means more than winning the prestigious William Smith Medal.

He was honoured for his contribution to geoscience and his distinguished achievement in the field of geology.

Mr Ruffell said nothing he has achieved would have been possible without the late Peter Austin, his "inspirational" geography teacher at Richard Huish College, Taunton.

Mr Ruffell's work involves the use of earth science techniques in geology, geography and archaeology in assisting legal enquiries in crime, environmental and humanitarian fields.

He helps search for buried or water-sunken objects, sampling at crime scenes involving murders, sex offences, gangland crimes, terrorism and serial offenders.

He has done a lot of work with the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims' Remains in Ireland.

He has also trained law enforcers and humanitarian search teams in South and Central America, Australia, Russia and Europe, as well as in Britain and Ireland.

One of the most traumatic cases involved the search for the body of Moira Anderson, who went missing in Coatbridge, Scotland, 63 years ago. Her body has never been found, while the chief suspect in her murder has since died.

After studying at Richard Huish, Mr Ruffell went on to University College London and then earned his doctorate at Birmingham.

But it is Mr Austin who he attributes for his own successful career.

"Without Pete, I would not be here and he will be central to my acceptance speech at the Geological Society in London in June."

His guest of honour at the ceremony will be his father, Donald, when both men will be thinking of the latest addition to their family.

"The medal is nothing compared to recently becoming a grandfather - announced in the County Gazette of course - and my dad becoming a great grandfather," said Mr Ruffell.