Boy buys doughnuts for police officers in Walsall Published duration 30 August 2019

image copyright Walsall Taskforce image caption Jack Smith, four, had high-fives and hugs from the Walsall officers

A boy who was frightened of police following the death of his baby sister plucked up the courage to buy officers doughnuts.

Police uniform used to remind Jack Smith of when five-week-old Ellie-Rae died from sudden infant death syndrome.

But when the four-year-old spotted officers on patrol in Walsall he wanted to show them his appreciation.

West Midlands Police has invited Jack to join officers for more cake on a station tour.

image copyright Amy Pittaway image caption Jack's sister Ellie-Rae died at five weeks old

Jack's mother, Amy Pittaway, from Stoke-on-Trent, said her son associated emergency services uniforms with losing his sister in November.

"We had the ambulance and police at the house, and after that he was always a little bit scared," she said.

"We took him on a tour around an ambulance station to try and ease his nerves.

"Since then he has been obsessed, saying 'I want to get the police men some doughnuts, doughnuts are the police man's favourite.'"

The pair had been visiting Jack's grandmother in Walsall when they saw the officers and he made his mother run into a shop to buy some treats.

"It made his day," she said.

PC Simon Bytheway, from Walsall Taskforce, said: "We constantly get parents coming up to us saying 'My son has done this, can you tell him off' and it makes them scared of us, this was different because it was positive.

"He kept running up to us and giving us hugs and high-fives.

"It is nice to know we are appreciated."

Miss Pittaway added: "I was so proud of him, he always makes Mummy proud."