THERE isn’t normally a mad rush to get put behind bars but that was the case on Sunday.

People were queueing round the block for Open Day at East Ayrshire Police HQ which included a tour of the cells.

It was essentially a family occasion, with much to interest the adults as well as the youngsters who enjoyed getting up close to horses, called Edinburgh and Harris, while they waited in the queue.

On entering the station it was straight behind the scenes to see the cells, custody suite, interview room complete with recording equipment and the spot where charges are read out.

From there it was outside where there was a hive of activity and a display of police vehicles old and new.

Staging a demonstration of dealing with a riot, along with his colleagues, was Sergeant Iain Farmer who had been on duty when the Chronicle went on patrol in Cumnock.

He set your intrepid reporter a challenge — involving a riot shield — which I failed spectacularly.

Climbing aboard a van with the sirens blaring and lights flashing was a popular attraction to the young visitors.

Some of the older children were also tasked with solving the murder of a realistic looking corpse, while the younger ones had to complete a phonetic alphabet quiz.

Getting locked in a security van which normally takes people to court also proved fascinating to all ages.

There were also demonstrations from organisations such as HM Coastguard, Mountain Rescue, St Andrews’s First Aid, RNLI and several specialist police units.