A TEXAN police sergeant joined Melksham officers on patrol for a day to get a taste of British law enforcement first hand.

Police counter-sniper John Bull, 39, admitted his stay in Wiltshire was the longest spell he had been without a gun for 17 years.

Sgt Bull, who is staying with friends in Warminster, met up with Melksham inspector Neil Bagnall at the divisional headquarters before joining-up with traffic officers on patrol.

The US sergeant's usual stomping ground is the Texan city of Paris where he is responsible for 35 patrol officers.

The 39-year-old father of two said policing in Texas is not that dissimilar to Wiltshire except when it comes to firearms.

He said: "I don't know much about British policing but I do know a regular police constable is not allowed a firearm on duty.

"I am a patrol sergeant but also a counter sniper with a SWAT team.

"I thought coming out with some English police officers would be interesting.

"What we deal with is basically the same burglaries, criminal mischief and domestic violence.

"But every now and then there is a murder," he added.