Officers from Merton successfully returned an elderly Algerian woman to her family yesterday after she was reported lost by a member of public.

PCs Pete Beesley and Tom Queen were on a routine patrol when a call came in expressing concern for a woman in Colliers Wood.

The 83-year-old Algerian woman, who didn't speak English, was in London visiting family but couldn't remember the address.

A car journey with the officers around Wimbledon Park led them to her old family home when the woman recognised the house number. However, the new occupants didn't know where the family had moved to.

The Merton policemen spotted a Koran in the woman's bag leading them to visit a mosque nearby where the Iman recognised the woman and had a contact number for her daughter.

The daughter was grateful to hear from the officers after being out frantically searching for her mother.

A Met spokesperson said: "Two hours after they first met, PC Queen and PC Beesley safely dropped the woman off at home to her family, where they all shared a lot of laughs over the situation, despite the language barrier.

"The woman was even a little disappointed to see our officers go!"