Police in Bristol grant 104-year-old's wish to be 'arrested'

The 104-year-old made headlines last week after saying she had never been arrested and wanted to see what it's like.

A 104-year-old from Stoke Bishop has been 'arrested' by police after saying she has 'never been on the wrong side of law' and wanted to see what it was like.

Anne Brokenbrow was met by police at Stokeleigh Residential Home in Stoke Bishop on Wednesday 20 March.

Officers from Bridewell Police Station wanted to make Anne's dream of being arrested come true, after she made headlines last week for saying she had 'never been on the wrong side of the law'.

The Stoke Bishop residential home is taking part in a Wishing Washing Line initiative where elderly people advertise their wishes. Credit: Alive Activities

During her staged arrest, Anne said: "I don't know what I'm supposed to do... but I'll do it."

According to officers, who arrested Anne "on the grounds of being an upstanding citizen for the past 104 years", she was a "very compliant prisoner".

Despite being a model citizen, Anne was allowed to try on a pair of handcuffs and experience being led to a police car with its blue lights flashing.

After being escorted into the car officers went a step further and attempted a background check on Anne. With a date of birth stretching back to 1914, officers struggled to track the former secretary down in their database.

Stephen Harding, a neighbourhood police officer, said: "It's hard to check you, because you're 104 years old and I don't think we've ever checked anyone that old."

Avon and Somerset Police granted Anne's wish after she advertised it via elderly people's charity Alive Activities.

Their Wishing Washing Line initiative is being supported by five residential homes in north Bristol, including Stokeleigh in Stoke Bishop.

The premise is to fill a box containing the wishes of its residents, which are then attached to a 'washing line' at the nearby Co-op store for shoppers to see.

Avon and Somerset Police officers were happy to show the community involvement side of policing and grant Anne's wish. Credit: Alive Activities

Anne's was one of the first to be hung-up on the line outside the Co-op on Gloucester Road in Bishopston.

PC Harding said: "At 104 years of age, today we assisted Anne in being arrested - making her dream come true and obviously as a neighbourhood police officer, showing the lighter side of policing and our involvement in the community."

A spokesperson from Avon and Somerset Police said:

The force thanked the care home for the opportunity to make Anne's wish a reality.

The Wishing Washing Line project launched in Bristol earlier this month after a successful run granting thousands of wishes for elderly people in Essex.