Mary was driving force of progress in policing

ONE of Britain's first female police drivers was hailed a pioneer as she visited her old beat seven decades on.

- Elizabeth Hunter

Mary d'Arcy Kincaid, now 91, was a young recruit at City of Edinburgh Police in 1956 when a memo went round inviting applicants for driver training.

It was intended for male applicants but did not specify that, so Mary went for it - and after an interview with the Chief Inspector she was accepted on to the programme.

Mary said: "Despite some reluctance from some colleagues, I was invited to go for my driver training.