WOOTTON Bassett Primary School pupil Matt Riddick was treated to a VIP tour of Wiltshire Police headquarters last week, after he helped to collar a pair of suspected shoplifters.

Proud mother Belinda said Matt, eight, had been waiting for her to finish shopping at Somerfield, when he spotted a woman walk into the shop, fill a basket with beef and then leave the basket at the door.

The woman walked out of the store, signalled to a man waiting in a car, grabbed the basket of beef and fled without paying. The pair then drove away.

Matt, a pupil at Noremarsh Junior School in Wootton Bassett, told his mother what he had seen, and was able to provide a description of the suspects, the colour and make of the car and the first letter of the registration number.

Two people were arrested by police shortly afterwards.

Mrs Riddick said: "Matt loves watching police programmes on TV like Chopper Coppers and Police Camera Action. He's very observant and bright."

As a reward for his quick thinking, Wiltshire Police arranged for him to see the force's hi-tech helicopter, its fleet of vehicles and the police dogs on Friday.

Mrs Riddick said: "He was so enthralled and thought he was so lucky. He couldn't believe police would do something so special for him."