It is every child's dream to climb aboard and press the siren button of a fire engine, ambulance or police car.

And many dreams came true at the Emergency Services Weekend at The Royal Air Force Museum, in Hendon.

More than 4,000 people came to the event on Sunday and Monday, including the new Mayor of Barnet, Usha Chopra.

The three emergency services displayed many past and present vehicles and children were allowed to press as many buttons as they liked, causing parents to place fingers in ears.

Visitors could have been forgiven for thinking that World War Two had re-started when a noisy Lancaster, Spitfire and Hurricane flew overhead in a Battle of Britain memorial flight.

Other highlights of the weekend included a parachute jump by the London Fire Brigade Parachute Display Team, resuscitation demonstrations by members of the St John Ambulance and British Red Cross, displays by the Territorial Army Field Hospital and a climbing wall for youngsters, supervised by the army.

Anji Patel, of the Royal Air Force Museum, said: "The event was extremely successful and all the children certainly enjoyed themselves as they were making plenty of noise."

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