Knock on door (bell was broken) around 8:30 on an April evening 2002, LNS lurches to door and opens it to reveal a good looking lady. Unfortunately she's brought Lurch with her.
"Good Evening" says young(ish) lady my name is Detective Inspector LowNSlow (but without the 's' on the end of my real name!) can I talk to you about your flying please? I thought I'd start the evening with my namesake. Lady enters, Lurch returns to car.
Turns out to be a charming lass who gently probes (oh err sir) me about my flying habits. Once I realised that she wasn't about to club me with large fines re: various lowflying accusations etc I quite enjoyed the chat. It was basically Herts. plod force "getting familiar" with all who hold a PPL and upwards to find out what their "habits" are.
Once she had realised that most of my flying is "fannying around North of Luton" and not flying drugs in from Istanbul or arms to Eire she was fine until I said that I'd be flying to Ireland this summer (hopefully) and Mrs LNS comes downstairs after putting the wee redhaired demon to bed and asks (in her dulcet S. Irish lilt) "who the !!!! is she" (she was more polite really). Renewed questioning for a further 10 mins (with Mrs. LNS offering tea, cakes, 3 course dinners etc.) before Mrs. DI departs. Quite convivial really, she left me a new SB leaflet to replace the fading one in the tea room at Rush Green International (now where did I put that) and wafted away into the night with the words "anytime you want a blow j...... Ooops "Anytime you see anything suspicious give me a call" drifting gently through the night air.
Apparently Special Branch (sounds like a posh tree doesn't it) do this annually or thereabouts in sunny Herts.