Journalists are renowned for being a dodgy bunch – which came in handy for Lee Marlow on a recent assignment.

The Leicester Mercury reporter was sent to the local police station to take part in an identity parade.

Each volunteer is paid a minimum £10, which rises to £15 if they are chosen to take part, and while waiting to start, Lee was told by a parade regular that it would be the easiest £15 he ever earned.

“He might be right,” said Lee. “You wait, sign your name, wait a bit more, sit in a line, say and do nothing, let someone look at you, and collect your payment on the way out.”

The suspect was fat-faced, 5ft 11ins with brown hair and tired eyes, and a bit scruffy – not dissimilar to Lee.

A group of 16 volunteers gathered while the suspect’s solicitor picked out who he wanted in the line up, and with his large jowls and slightly roguish appearance, Lee made it through.

Before being led into a room with a 20ft bench and two-way mirror shielded by curtains, Lee was assured that nothing would happen to him if he was picked out and was advised just to sit back and look straight ahead.

The suspect joined the line up and the curtains were pulled back.

Lee said: “I find myself in a bit of a tizz. I want to laugh, which, of course, is the wrong thing to do.”

He was also tempted to look at the suspect even though he was told not to, and sneaked a quick glance.

The suspect looked quite relaxed – but Lee was feeling nervous – praying he didn’t get picked out.

He said: “Just when I finally found some kind of professional, blank-faced groove – something akin to the rest of the men here, something which might make them say “You were so good, please give up your day job” – was over.

“No-one was picked out.”

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