Residents are being invited to enjoy a cream tea in the Chief Constable’s garden to celebrate Essex Police’s 175th birthday.

Essex Police Museum is selling tickets to the event on Saturday, September 19, 2015 which will also include outdoor tours of the Edwardian buildings, Chief Constable’s house and Force Control Room at headquarters in Chelmsford.

Fifty tickets have gone on sale for the event which will run between 10am and 4pm and help raise funds for Essex Police Museum, a registered charity.

Tickets costs £10 per person and will include a traditional cream tea of two scones, jam, clotted cream and unlimited tea and coffee served in the beautiful surroundings of the Chief Constable’s garden followed by tours led by museum volunteers.

Essex Police Museum will be open and visitors will also be able to enjoy another celebration event running alongside this VIP event.

Becky Wash, Curator at Essex Police Museum, said: "Essex Police Museum tells the story of the history of police in Essex.

"This year Essex Police is 175 years old and to celebrate we’re giving residents the chance to relax and enjoy refreshments in the Chief Constable’s garden before taking an outdoor tour of the house.

"Now offices, the house was home to four Chief Constables between 1903 and 1978.

"The Force Control Room is the hub of operational policing.

"Newly refurbished, it houses our call handlers who take both 999 and non-emergency calls and dispatchers who send officers to the scene.

"This VIP event will run alongside a free celebration event on the same day.

"We’ll be releasing more details soon but families will be able to meet one of our police dogs, dress up in uniforms and pose in a photo booth, sit behind the wheel of police vehicles, have their faces painted and much more.”

Tickets to the cream tea and tour event are limited and must be booked in advance by calling Essex Police Museum on 01245 457150 or emailing Becky Wash at becky.wash@essex.pnn.police.uk

When booking please choose a time to enjoy your cream tea and tour. They will be held at 11am, 11,45am, 12,30pm, 1,15pm and 2pm.

Unfortunately, the tours are not suitable for children under the age of 10.

Further details will be released at a later date.

Essex Police Museum, HQ, Sandford Road, Springfield, Chelmsford, Essex CM2 6DN www.essex.police.uk/museum www.twitter.com/epolicemuseum www.facebook.com/epolicemuseum