The new technology being used by Cheshire Police which can save lives and rescue women in danger

It is a piece of kit which could save lives and capture vital evidence when a woman is in danger.

Called GoodSAM, the tech uses artificial intelligence that enables emergency dispatchers and 999 call takers to instantly locate the caller and open their smartphone camera. It means call handlers will be able to find the precise location of a woman asking for police help and have direct visual access to them.

From today, Cheshire Police launched their use of the technology after securing £300,000 from the government's Safety of Women at Night Fund. In a pilot scheme in the county, the tech was used to pinpoint exactly where a woman stranded in a broken down car was on the M6 at night.

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But the device has huge implications for use in investigating reports of domestic violence, and stalkers. It works by allowing the emergency services to open the caller's smartphone camera, after they have received a text containing a link.

The person in need of help then clicks the link, and the video and location are live streamed to the call taker. Force call handlers can forward any footage in real time to officers closest to the scene, helping them to identify and apprehend suspects and enabling them to assess the scene prior to their arrival.

The live streamed video footage is captured, and any attachments sent by the caller are automatically saved onto the GoodSAM Cloud, can be played back at any time, and can be used as evidence in any future cases. The initiative is part of Operation Swan, the force's drive to tackle, and reduce the risk of violence against women.

Chief Inspector Claire Jesson said: "It is a piece of kit