Police in Swindon have apologised for disturbing members of the public with their sirens to settle a debate started a by a five-year-old’s query on whether they go “nee-naw” or “woo-woo”.

The police used the sirens during a talk by police community support officers given to pupils at Haydonleigh Primary School in Swindon, Wiltshire, the Press Association reports.

Officers were speaking with students from three classes on Wednesday morning, and one of the youngest children raised a query about the officers’ cars.

In a Facebook post on Thursday, North Swindon Police said they apologised to any locals "who may have been disturbed by our sirens yesterday morning. Their officers were involved in “a very important debate” with the Junior Infants “about whether they go nee-nah or woo-woo.”

The debate was not the only intellectual feat from the kids, with the police also thanking the children for the suggestion “that we should have police rhinos”.

The police will be " looking into the possibility of training (police rhinos) to knock down the 'baddies' front doors,” they said.