AN off-duty Gloucestershire police officer showed amazing dedication to her role when she detained a suspected burglar on her daughter's wedding day.
Sergeant Julia Martin-Jones was returning home to the Sandford Park area of Cheltenham after the ceremony on Saturday, February 18 when she spotted someone leaving a neighbour's house acting suspiciously.
Without hesitation Julia leapt into action to apprehend the figure and call colleagues to the scene.
Julia's daughter Grace Ottridge, a detective with the force, had just tied the knot to husband Edward but Julia was happy to detain the suspect until fellow officers arrived.
Sergeant Martin-Jones said: "It was around 1am on Sunday morning - I'd just returned home from the wedding with family and friends.
"I saw a youth in dark clothing emerge from a neighbour's driveway and I didn't recognise him.
"I knew there had been burglaries in the area so I went and stopped him.
"My colleagues later found my neighbour's garage had been broken into.
"There I was in my sparkly dress, high heels and all my finery - I think he thought I was some kind of crazy woman."
A 15-year-old boy from Manchester arrested on suspicion of burglary in connection with the case has been bailed to return to police on Saturday, March 25, pending further inquiries.
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