A JOLLY Bexley copper has left a young police fanatic with autism “beaming” after the pair struck up a conversation in the street.

Rhys Mulcahy, 6, was waiting for a bus by Bexleyheath Clock Tower with his mum Kathryn Harving when he spotted PC Alan Dalton on patrol at around 4pm on March 30.

The youngster from Christopher Close in Blackfen suffers from ADHD and high functioning autism and is desperate to be a boy in blue when he grows up.

He was playing with a newly-bought toy police car purchased with his pocket money from nearby Wilkinson when PC Dalton came by.

Miss Harving told News Shopper: “Rhys asked me ‘Mummy, can I talk to him?’ “They must have been there for about 20 minutes talking about the police car.

“Rhys told the policeman ‘I’ll take over and arrest all the baddies’.

“The fact that he didn’t just walk past and spent time involved in a conversation with Rhys meant so much to him.

“He’s still beaming about it now and keeps telling everyone he met a police officer.

“Bless him, he was so excited.”

The mother-of-two says the police are an “obsession” for her son whose sister Phoebe, 4, was jealous when she heard of her brother’s close encounter with a friendly special.

The nursery nurse added: “Every time a police car goes past he’ll wave and expect them to wave back.

“Rhys was telling the policeman how he thought the police should get more holidays.

“The PC said ‘You are going to go to the top and be Prime Minister because of all the changes you are going to bring in’.”

Bexley police Safer Transport Team member PC Dalton has been working in the borough for nine years.

He said: "It's always a pleasure talking to the public when we are on duty around the local transport hubs, especially the youngsters.

“Rys was not shy in coming forward to chat and he was a delight telling me his ideas about being the Prime Minister: David Cameron, watch out for this one.

“He’s a fun lad and it was a pleasure meeting him and his mum.”

The laughing policeman