A trick of the light: Pc left red-faced as full moon is revealed as culprit in 'suspicious light source' investigation

A Pc was left red-faced as he mistook the moon for a suspicious light source (Alamy)

One can quite imagine the breathless voice of the fearless rookie Pc as he radioed his sergeant about a 'suspicious light source' glowing over the Clent Hills in Worcestershire.

It's also possible to imagine his red face, flushed from a twenty minute trek, when he reported that he'd discovered the origin of the suspicious light - the moon.

On duty by himself the unnamed, but doubtless diligent, officer advised his sergeant that he was off 'up the hills' to investigate, and that he may need back up.

Clent Hills is notorious as a dogging hot-spot, and it's believed the officer thought he may catch offenders in the act.

But after a twenty minute walk he had to confess that he'd mistaken the bright light of a full moon for car headlights.

The unfortunate officer, whose moonlight encounter is reported in this month's edition of 'Police Magazine', was reportedly reluctant to return to his duties the following day - knowing he would face some gentle ribbing from colleagues.

The columnist writing in the popular Dogberry column said: "While single-crewed on night duty in Worcestershire a Pc called up his sergeant letting him know that he was going up into the Clent Hills to investigate a 'suspicious bright light' that he could see shining from the other side of the hills.

"The call was for safety reasons as he might need back-up once he found the source.

"Twenty minutes later the Pc called his sergeant back to reassure him that everything was ok and that he had found the source of the light.

"This diligent Pc had in fact discovered the moon."