Telford police inspector released from cells

A Telford police inspector found himself on the other end of the handcuffs when he was arrested and locked up for 24 hours, as he tried to make a real dog's dinner of being an inmate.

Inspector Richard Langton, based at Wellington Police Station, was arrested by his colleagues at 10am yesterday and faced the lonely cell at Malinsgate Police Station's custody suite until today.

But Mr Langton did not break the law and was instead raising cash for the Hearing Dogs for Deaf People charity ahead of his second Virgin London Marathon attempt next month.

Dressed as a Dalmatian, Mr Langton ran around the station collecting cash from colleagues before he was arrested for his behaviour by the custody sergeant who threw him in the cells.

He was visited by his colleagues throughout the day who each paid £1 to squirt him with a water pistol to ensure he was still awake.

Mr Langton set himself the lock-up challenge to reach his £2,000 target but his generous supporters have now helped him smash that target by raising more than £2,150. The cash total between his marathon in 2009 and this year's event means Mr Langton will pay for a new dog for somebody who is hard of hearing.

He was also visited by Tom Kane and his hearing dog, Nevis.

Mr Langton undertook the challenge in his own time and was prepared to vacate his cell if a genuine prisoner needed it.