A FORMER pub landlord is a master of detection - and has the paperwork to prove it.

Michael Wall, who used to pull pints at the Yorkshire Dragon pub, on Teesside, has just been awarded a Master's degree in criminal investigation to go with an earlier BSc (Hons) in policing and police studies.

He called time on his life at the bar and joined the police service in 1984 to achieve a childhood ambition, which had been put on hold because of family commitments for 13 years.

Now, holding the rank of detective inspector, Max, as he is known to his colleagues, works as crime registrar with Cleveland Police - only a stone's throw from his old pub at Maltby.

He has spent the past five years reading for his degrees, squeezing in study whenever time allowed.

"I'm calling time on further academic studies,'' Mr Wall said. But he is not quite through with all college work.

He revealed that he has plans to attend night classes on brick-laying, to build a garden wall.