I wanna hold your hand-cuffs: Never before seen picture of Beatles joking around with police officers after early gig is discovered in archives



It's certainly not the sort of mugshot normally found in a police station.

But then, the faces being photographed do not look like they need any Help, either.



An iconic photograph of The Beatles joking around with police outside one of their earliest gigs has been discovered buried in a police force’s picture archive.



A Hard Day's Night! The fans threatened to mob the band, but the police managed to conceal them in their police van

The snap of the Fab Four wearing policemen’s helmets was released for the first time by West Midlands Police today after they recently discovered it in their historical records.

Taken in November 1963, it shows the band having fun with officers outside Birmingham’s Hippodrome Theatre after they were mobbed by fans during the height of their fame.

It was taken as the Beatles escaped their crush of fans - with a little help from the boys in blue.



John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and George Harrison can all be been saluting as they prepare to go into the venue after being smuggled to the stage door in the back of a police van.

The picture was handed over to the force by serving Chief Inspector Kerry Blakeman - whose late father PC Kerim Blakeman - is pictured standing behind Paul.

It was released by West Midlands Police to coincide with what would have been John Lennon’s 72nd birthday.

George Harrison, Paul McCartney, John Lennon and Ringo Starr were all smiles when they met the helpful officers

The photo was released to mark the 72nd birthday of John Lennon, seen here with his wife Yoko Ono

Chief Inspector Blakeman said yesterday: 'It really is an incredible picture. It was taken at the height of their fame and even the kit van got mobbed by fans let alone the tour bus.

'Because of all the screaming fans Birmingham City Police, as they were then known, had to step in to ensure they safely got to the venue in the back of a police van.

'But before they went in they happily posed with police at the back of the stage door after nicking their helmets.

'It’s a hilarious photo and shows what a good sense of humour they had.'

Sadly, Chief Isp Blakman’s father died three years after the picture was taken aged just 35 when he suffered a heart attack on duty while his wife was pregnant with their son.

Chief Insp Blakeman now keeps the picture on his desk as a reminder of the father he never got to meet.

He said: 'My mother handed it to me about 10 years ago where she decided to casually drop in conversation that my father had met the Beatles. I couldn’t believe it.

'The picture now sits on my desk at work.

'It’s a nice memento of the father I never knew.

'I always wanted to follow in his footsteps as a police officer and this picture makes me proud I did.

'But I haven’t met anybody as famous as the Beatles unfortunately - the closest I’ve got was the band Hearsay.'

Yoko Ono, who lit the peace tower in memory of John Lennon, her late husband

Peace for all: The inscription is taken from Lennon's 'Imagine' anthem

Yoko Ono, widow of the late John Lennon, invited people from all over the world to join her in spirit when she lit the Imagine Peace Tower on the island of Vi'ey, near Reykjavik, Iceland, last night.

The Imagine Peace Tower is meant to be a beacon of world peace and is the work of the peace advocate, who dedicated it to the memory of her late husband John Lennon.



The beacon consists of a tall tower of light, projected from a white stone well with the inscription 'IMAGINE PEACE' in 24 languages .

These words, and the name of the tower, are a reference to Lennon's peace anthem, Imagine.

