POPULAR local police officer Kirsty Boyd gave pupils a lesson on the law as they learned about the skills needed to join the force.

Constable Boyd, who is better known as 'PC Kirsty', gave a talk to senior pupils at Lady Alice Primary as part of their employability topic.

She told pupils that good communication and listening skills were just as important as the police uniform.

Kirsty said: "It's about keeping people safe and helping people.

"I do have a baton and handcuffs and CS spray but I don't use them very often.

"You have to use your mouth to communicate, ears for listening, eyes for observation and brains for common sense."

Kirsty, who was named Police Officer of the Year in 2018, has built up a good rapport with the Lady Alice youngsters and frequently joins them at the school breakfast club.

She told pupils how she got into the job and about her previous careers as a radio presenter and at Disneyland Paris.

When she asked pupils who would like to join the police force lots of hands shot up.

Jim Crawford, who teaches the P7 class, said: "The head teacher and depute head asked Kirsty to come in to talk to the children about what she does as part of her job.

"Kirsty is terrific, she is a great police officer for Lady Alice.

"She goes to the breakfast club and is someone children can look up to and approach."

Kirsty told the Tele: "Lady Alice pupils are very enthusiastic and ask lots of great questions.

"I am over the moon that so many of them want to join the police.

"Things like this are about getting a positive message across, we don't want children and to be afraid of the police.

"We want them to be able to come to us if they have a problem, we are really part of the school team."