The Police Treat has been brought back for children in the island’s primary schools.

Having not been done for many years, the police have brought back their Christmas tradition of giving schoolchildren a trip out to watch a film.

Over five days this week, Constables Mike Griffiths and Paddy Moore are giving children in year six (aged 10 and 11) a trip out to Ballakermeen High School Theatre.

As well as the film, there will be a mini pantomime performed by The Hello Little People theatre group and each child will be given a goodie bag before being returned to school.

Police Sergeant Graham Corran, of the Eastern Neighbourhood Community Team which organised the event, said: ’We tried to recreate it for the modern era without the facilities we had back then, so this year we’ve had to call in a lot of favours to make it happen.

’We’ve already had a couple of phone calls from head teachers saying it was absolutely marvellous and the kids have come back in great form.

’It’s been absolutely superb.’

He added: ’They used to use the Picture House in Strand Street where Burton’s and Waterstone’s now are, it was a big cinema, and it was done on a Saturday afternoon. The mothers dropped the kids off and they would watch a film. I remember going to it and you’d line up and get a selection box, but it was a proper fun day out.’

Organisers are fully intent on keeping the tradition going from this year onwards but Mr Corran feels they may have review the process to allow more help from other agencies as it proved to be very ’labour intensive’ this time.

The Police Treat being brought back during the pandemic was not motivated by Covid but was a ’nice treat’ after the last 18 months, Mr Corran said. He added: ’We’ve tried to bring it back a couple of times. Although, I think there’s underlying significance that the kids have had it tough over the last couple of years where there just haven’t been the opportunities to have many fun things happen.

’There’s obviously been people worried about Covid but we’ve put every mitigation we possibly can in.

’All the kids have to wear masks, there’s hand sanitiser stations and we’re mixing as few schools as possible at any one time, they have designated areas within the Ballakermeen Theatre, so we’re doing as much as we possibly can. Obviously schools have the choice to opt out if they wish as well.’

The Police Treat has been sponsored by Ballakermeen High School, which has given their theatre to use, Zedra Active Wealth, Bus Vannin, 3FM and the Police Federation.