A police station was the last place some people, particularly criminals, wanted to visit.

But occasionally, officers would open their doors and invite the law-abiding public to see close at hand how they and their staff worked.

During open days, youngsters would often get the thrill of sitting in a police car or on a police motorcycle and wearing a police helmet.

One such occasion was in 1971 when patrolman Tim Staniland, of Kidlington headquarters, took his motorcycle to an open day at Banbury police station.

He is seen in Picture 1 showing his radio equipment to seven-year-old Graham Smith, from Neithrop Avenue, Banbury, as his father and brother Julian looked on.

Hundreds of visitors saw displays of many aspects of police work, including scenes of crime, crime prevention, dog handling, traffic control and road safety.

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Picture 2 shows Barbara Parker in a police helmet trying out a police motorcycle, with a little help from Pc Roger Dicks.

She was one of nearly 1,000 people who attended an open day at St Aldate’s police station in Oxford in 1983.

It included an exhibition of the city police force in the 1850s, a motorcycle training film, a crime prevention display and a driving simulator.

The control room and cells were most popular, although there was one disappointment – there were no prisoners, they had all been transferred to Cowley police station.

However, there were two ‘prisoners’ to be seen at St Aldate’s police station at the open day the following year.

Seven-year-old Mark Martin, from Cowley, in Picture 3, and James Thomas, five, from Littlemore, in Picture 4, both had the cell doors slammed shut, locking them briefly inside.

Children had the chance to sit in a police car, climb on to a motorbike and inspect a police van.

There was advice on crime prevention, warnings against bike theft, an appeal for more special constables, information about motorcycle training and pictures and posters about the work of Thames Valley Police.

A history section showed handcuffs down the ages and ‘occurrence books’ from before the First World War.

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There was also a section called ‘Bobbies’ hobbies’ – Pc Peter Laidler, of Abingdon, showed how he was restoring a 1969 Mini Cooper S once used by Liverpool police.

Police also opened their doors for visits by youngsters keen to join the force.

Simon Thomson, seven, of Holland Place, Headington, wearing a police helmet in Picture 5 during a visit to Cowley police station in 1983, wanted to become a policeman.

He already knew how to detect a robber – “they wear bobbly hats and have a mask and a machine gun,” he said.

Picture 6 shows three pupils from Redefield School, Blackbird Leys, finding out about police work at Cowley police station in 1974.

It was part of a Home Office scheme to give children in their final year at school an idea of what working for the force was like. Pupils Christeen Keene, Stephen Williams and William McDowell are seen with, left to right, WPc Jill Cox, Pc Wally Cox and Pc Ron Robertson.

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In recent years Thames Valley Police has held open days at its base Sulhamstead, West Berkshire.