A retired Swindon police officer who moved to the other side of the world more than 50 years ago returned to Wiltshire to visit his old haunts.

Ted Clarke became a PC in Swindon in the early 1950s but got itchy feet and moved to New Zealand to join the country's Air Force soon afterwards.

A couple of years ago, Ted contacted the Wiltshire police website in the hope of contacting old colleagues and making new friends.

And for the past three weeks he has been touring around the county with friends Marilyn Pearson and her partner, Inspector Paul Longden, from Wiltshire Constabulary.

In his policing days, Ted was renowned for being first on the scene at unfortunate incidents, notably when an old lady collapsed and died on the street in Swindon, and another time when a man jumped in front of a train. The former PC said things had changed beyond all recognition since he pounded the beat more than half a century ago.

"I used to cycle 20 miles a day on my bobby's bike on a regular basis, when I wasn't on foot," he said.

"I had a whistle, no radio, I had a truncheon, but no CS spray."