Talk about a Christmas pullover..

RETURNING home from a Christmas shopping trip I was alarmed to see the telltale flashing blue lights of a police car behind me.

- SUSAN LEE

Alarm escalated to mild panic when it became apparent the occupants had me in their sights and were about to pull me over.

Isn't it odd how, even as a law abiding citizen, the appearance of a cop car in the rear view mirror can make you feel guilty?

What had I done? Was I speeding? Had I forgotten to put my headlights on?

The answer was simple. I had been driving suspiciously slowly.

The two officers were polite, professional but inscrutable as they checked my licence and asked if I'd had a drink that night.

I assured them the only adrenaline rush I'd experienced that day was when I looked at the bill from my M&S spending splurge.