A POLICE officer surprised a seven-year-old stuck inside on his birthday to give him a day he will ‘never forget’.
Frankie Dickinson-Brown faced the prospect of a birthday inside on lockdown but was given a day to remember by PC Rickie Wallbank who visited the boy’s house to sing him Happy Birthday.
The officer took time away from his shift to belt out the tune to Frankie via megaphone and deliver him a present at his house in Barrow’s Cliffe Lane.
Mum Lindsey Brown said she was stressed about her son’s birthday with her and her two other children inside as Britain’s coronavirus lockdown approached a third week.
But thankfully friend and police officer Amy Loebell had a surprise for Frankie and enlisted the help of PC Wallbank.
Miss Brown said: “My friend Amy is a police officer and she knocked this morning and said she had a surprise for Frankie.”
PC Wallbank found out that there was a 7 year old who was stuck on his birthday so he decided to try and cheer him up a little bit. pic.twitter.com/y4z0iNFIgv
— Barrow Police (@barrowpolice) April 2, 2020
Describing Frankie’s reaction to the special gesture, Miss Brown said: “He was shocked and shy - but then excited.
“It was emotional and so thoughtful.
“We’d been stressed about his birthday with this situation and we’d been missing seeing family and friends.
“So it was lovely.”
The special birthday delivery by the police officer contained knitted teddies for all the family as well as crayons, stickers and keyrings.
On Frankie’s birthday, the Dane Ghyll pupil went out with family and Facetimed his friends before being treated to special tea of pizza and pudding from Just Desserts.
Miss Brown added: “It’s a birthday he’ll never forget.
“I would like to say a thank you to Amy Loebell who arranged it and the kind police officer who sang.”
Barrow Police’s Jim Bailey said: “We’re all about lifting the spirits of the community and this was a great example of that.”
Sending his best wishes on Twitter was Cumbria’s police and crime commissioner, Peter McCall.
He said: “Brilliant job PC Wallbank - Community Policing at its best. Well done you.
“And very Happy Birthday to Frankie.”
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