Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Sledgehammer Whammer

Have A Smashing Morning, Dear

Six English policemen smashed their way into a Bolton house with sledgehammers - to find a school dinner lady having an early-morning cuppa. The drugs squad officers had got the wrong red brick terrace house. "Sorry, love, wrong house", they said. Greater Manchester Police issued a public apology and gave the startled woman a bouquet of flowers as workmen arrived promptly to repair her front window.

FOOTNOTE: Window gleaner.

23 comments:

Maggie May said...

Just as well she had a strong heart! Just imagine it!

Sandee said...

I'm just so glad this wasn't another U.S. piece. It's good to know that other countries are making the same goofy mistakes. I'll bet she was very surprised. Have a great day. :)

Andrea and Kim said...

Oh, this poor dear woman! Can you believe how terrified she must have been?

Glad to hear, as usual, the police admitted their mistake and rectified it.

Thanks for sharing these wonderful stories...

Mima said...

That would scare the life out of me, How can they get the wrong house? I hope that someone gets into some major trouble for that one.

Lisa Wheeler Milton said...

I always love these short pieces, even when I don't always comment.

I don't know how you keep up on them.

nitebyrd said...

Poor thing! Of course, if she were in the US, she'd sue them for all sorts of emotional and mental trauma.

Anonymous said...

So tell me the lead officer didn't barge into the flat with the cry "Trust me, I know what I'm doing".

Kat said...

Okay, but what did they do about the heart attack they gave her?

Akelamalu said...

I saw this on the news!

Sam Fox said...

Smash & Nab goes badly wrong with case of Miss Steak & I dent-a-tea...

Mom Knows Everything said...

Oh my that poor women! It's a wonder she never had a heart attack.

Jo Beaufoix said...

Blimey, what a shocking way to start the day.

Cath said...

Oh my! Only GMP could do this. Would it surprise you to know it's not the first time?

LMAO. Again. ;0)

BRUNO said...

Couple of folks beat me to it, here! And, they're right---it likely would've ended differently here, in the U.S.

Actually, it happens quite often, in our larger Metro areas.

But here "in the sticks" where I live, most of our law enforcement officers are also our neighbors---and even occasionally, our friends!

Even if we have ALMOST shot one another in the past...!

Brian in Oxford said...

is that a "cuppa" as in a cuppa coffee or tea?

Because an "early-morning cuppa" sounds a bit risque...but might explain the flowers!

lime said...

a far more civilized correction of a mistake than what would occur in the US for sure.

Sandi McBride said...

I'm suffering from hysterics...good of them to come repair her door!
Sandi

Jennifer S said...

The best part of waking up is glass shards in your cup?

(A tweaked Folgers commercial, in case they have different TV ads there)

Hilary said...

What a pane!

Shrinky said...

I saw this on the local news - they interviewed the mystified neighbours who had witnessed it, they were very surprised to consider their pensioner dinner lady might be dealing drugs!

Anonymous said...

What a shattering experience!

Merisi said...

Law-enforcement breaking in to get a good cuppa. What's next? Tea-totaling police falling off the wagon?

Loved the comments that came before me. ;-)

Jillie Bean (AKA Bubba's Sis) said...

Sounds like they need a crash course in drug raids....