LORI-ANN Moran has set her heart on joining the boys and girls in blue . . . but she will have to wait until the year 2020 to join the ranks.

At just four, Lori-Ann is adamant that her future lies in crimebusting and, thanks to the police, she was treated to a day out with a difference.

Lori-Ann's dreams of becoming a traffic officer and driving one of the force's high specification motorway patrol vehicles came a step closer to becoming true last week when she was whisked off in a police car from her home in Walmersley Road and taken to the Birch Services police post for a chat and a snack with officers.

The police car-mad youngster was given a tour and got a chance to take a close look at the police fleet before getting a ride back home again.

PC Mike Monks was Lori-Ann's driver for the treat and answered her questions on what it is like being a traffic officer, and what the job involves, during her visit.

Lori-Ann's mum, Julie, said: "It was an absolutely wonderful day. She really enjoyed riding in a police car and visiting the police station. She couldn't wait to tell her friends at nursery all about the trip and she has not stopped talking about it since. The police were wonderful and their treat has reinforced Lori-Ann's view of becoming a police officer.

"She loves watching police programmes and shouts with joy when she sees a police car with its blue flashing lights and sirens."

Julie had written to Bury police to ask if her daughter could have a look around the station and was overwhelmed when she received a reply offering Lori-Ann a day out with officers. Chief inspector Ian Lomax said: "When we learned of Lori-Ann's career ambitions and her wish to have a close look at our police cars we were only too happy to arrange this little trip.

"The Traffic Network Section is one of the areas in Greater Manchester Police where women are under-represented, and we are making efforts to redress the balance.

" We hope that by encouraging girls, like Lori-Ann, and young women to seriously look at traffic policing as a career, we can get more of them working with us."