Police to arrest Anne, 104, over washing line

A104-YEAR-OLD woman has revealed her wish to be arrested because she’s never committed a crime – and police are set to oblige.

Anne Brokenbrow suffers from dementia and stunned care home staff who asked residents to fill in a form asking for their ‘wishes’.

Mrs Brokenbrow’s read: “My wish is... to be arrested. I am 104 and I have never been on the wrong side of the law.”

Local policing teams in Stoke Bishop were very happy to grant Mrs Brokenbrow’s wish and she is due to be taken into custody for the first time ever next week.

Mrs Brokenbrow, is a resident at Stokeleigh Care Home in Stoke Bishop, Bristol.

The home is one of five in the north of the city that is participating in the Wishing Washing Line initiative, run by elderly people’s charity Alive Activities.

Mrs Brokenbrow is a former secretary who worked at James Roberts & Son Manufacturers in Bristol.

Kelly Lewis, 40, activities coordinator at Stokeleigh Care Home, said Anne was a well-loved resident.

Kelly says Anne is regularly visited by her granddaughter Sasha, who she had raised following the death of her daughter.

“She’s really fun, she’s got a really good sense of humour,” Kelly said.

“We were surprised when she said it but thinking about it, it’s actually quite in character for Anne.”

She said Anne was looking forward to her visit from police next Wednesday, adding: “Although she can be stubborn at times, she’s always very friendly and chatty with the carers.”

Other residents’ wishes include riding in a Rolls Royce, visiting a motorcycle club, a hand massage and a chat, and a cuddle with a poodle.

The paper slips are then attached to a ‘washing line’ at nearby Co-op stores. Anne’s wish was among the first to be pegged to the line at the Co-op in Bishopston, in Bristol.

The idea is that shoppers will stop to look at the wishes and if they think they can grant one, then they can contact the elderly person behind it.

The Wishing Washing Line project launched in Bristol on March 1 having helped thousands of elderly people in Essex.