Sirens blared and police cars lined a street in a birthday surprise for an aspiring officer with spina bifida.

Alex Moss thought a major crime had taken place when he heard the racket outside his home in Pilots Avenue in Deal.

But officers from Dover's 1LPT team who arrived in five vehicles were actually there to wish him a happy 13th birthday.

The surprise, on Friday, had been set up by a close family friend, Megan Gibb, who is aware of the Goodwin Academy pupil's hope to one day work within the force.

She had wanted to make his lockdown birthday one to remember considering he wasn't able to see friends and family.

Mum Kayleigh McCluskey said: "He heard the sirens coming and was like, 'What's that?'

"All these police cars came down the road and the officers starting walking towards him. His face was a picture. To see it light up like that was so lovely."

Alex said: "I didn't know what was going on. I thought something had happened. I didn't think it was me. I was really excited."

The officers spent time chatting with the teenager and gifted him a personally signed card and badge, which his nan Theresa McCluskesy is going to sew onto an item of clothing.

They also invited Alex to visit both the Dover station and the control room in Maidstone for a tour and to discuss career options, after lockdown.

Ms Gibb said: "I thought they might send one officer but not all of this. They really went above and beyond and completely made Alex's birthday."

Spina bifida is a birth defect in which there is incomplete closing of the spine and the membranes around the spinal cord which develops during early pregnancy.

For Alex, it means he is unable to walk and doesn't have any feeling from his knees to his feet.

He has had numerous operations throughout his life and will need more in the future.

But the resilient youngster is determined to work within the forensics side of the profession or within the control room.

In addition to his policing aspirations, Alex also has a talent for archery and is working towards competing in the Paralympics.

He trains once a month with paralympian coaches at Stoke Mandeville and has already built up an impressive collection of medals from competitions against both adults and able bodied people.

District Commander for Canterbury and Dover, Chief Insp Elena Hall, said: "Kent Police is extremely grateful for the tremendous support we have received from the public during the unprecedented situation of recent weeks.

"Officers are always keen to give back some of the good will we are shown by the community and taking 10 minutes out of our patrols to visit Alex was one of the ways in which we can show our appreciation.

"Local officers in Dover were happy to hear of his plans to join us when he is older and we hope our visit helped make his birthday an extra special day."

Read more: All the latest news from Deal