Thetford police go above and beyond call of duty

For disabled teen Eden King getting to prom was never going to be easy – but thanks to police cadets it was more spectacular than she ever could have hoped for.

As her friends picked stretch limos and classic cars to make their grand entrances last night (July 14), wheelchair-bound Eden, who suffers from Muscular Dystrophy (MD), was left with no option other than to arrive in her specially-adapted family car.

But due to the quick-thinking of a family friend, arrangements were made to give the Thetford 16-year-old something none of her peers had – a police escort.

Sgt Mick Andrew, of Thetford Police Station, made all the necessary arrangements and took great pleasure in surprising Eden with a bunch of flowers when he arrived to collect her.

He said: “It’s not something we’d usually do but, because I run the police cadets and they were happy to do it, we escorted her to Lynford Hall in Mundford.”

He added: “All her friends turned up in stretch limos and posh cars but I think she had the best one.

“Just as she was getting out, to make a grand entrance, we put the lights and sirens on, briefly.

“She had a great time, she had a big smile on her face – we drew a big crowd.

“She might not have had a flash hire vehicle but I can guarantee no-one else made quite the entrance we did. We hope we did her proud.”

The police cadets and staff, who escorted Eden in their own free time, also paused to have photographs taken with the grateful teen before finally walking her to the venue’s door, giving her the most memorable of beginnings to her school prom.

Eden, who is to become a police cadet herself next week after finding out yesterday that having MD is no barrier, also had the most special ending to her night when was crowned ‘prom queen’.