Sergeant Diane Noble    played by Kaye Wragg

First appearance    # 441 (13/09/06)     

Diane Noble was an ex-Army Corporal from the north who wasn't afraid to speak her mind and challenge higher ranking colleagues at Sun Hill. Her motto was: 'work hard, play hard.' She put everything she had into her shift on the Relief, and equally would be the last one standing down the pub afterwards.

Diane left the Army to join the Met. after the suicide of a 17 year old Private. Although she wasn't directly involved, Diane knew he was being bullied by a fellow sergeant and didn’t intervene. The guilt followed her to Sun Hill where she was finally able to lay it to rest after confronting the sergeant, when he was the victim of an assault. She was brought in to Canley as a PC by Superintendent Heaton, a friend of her ex-husband's, forcing initially some of the Relief to question her loyalties. Diane responded far better to male figures of authority and had been known to clash with her female sergeants in the past.

Diane had a twelve year old son who lived with his father, which suited her fine. Diane was resolutely one of the lads and could tell a dirty joke or play a practical joke along with the best of them – she was quite un-shockable. She also spoke her mind and was liable to ruffle a few feathers. Although she’d left the army, the army hadn’t left her; she preferred speeding around in the Area Car to offering tea and sympathy. It’s not that she was callous; it’s just that her forte wasn’t dealing with people. She preferred the thrill of the chase and the bigger picture: the war on crime.

After assisting CID in an internet child grooming case, Diane decided she needed time off to spend with her son and went on extended leave. It was during this time that she earned her rank of Sergeant. She returned to the station briefly in April 2009 before transferring permanently to Barton Street.