Twenty Arab soldiers stepped into the breach when Sussex Police ran short of volunteers for identity parades.

The Army officers, from the United Arab Emirates, were training with the British Army in East Sussex when the call went out.

Woman Detective Constable Emma Heater, based in Hastings, knew the officers were training locally and called their solicitor.

"They'd be delighted", came the reply.

The parades, at Brighton police station, concerned a robbery and an assault and both crimes involved Arab suspects.

Insp Simon Morley, head of the force identification unit, said the prospect of running satisfactory parades was remote because of the shortage of volunteers from ethnic minorities - until the soldiers stepped forward.

Two minibuses full of the Arab soldiers arrived at the John Street station and both parades proved positive in identifying suspects.

There was an extra bonus for the Sussex Police when each of the soldiers turned down the standard £25 payment for attending the lineup.

Meanwhile, a number of suspects wanted in connection with four robberies and attacks on German students in Brighton have been arrested after police travelled to Berlin to conduct identity parades.

Insp Morley, armed with videos of suspects and volunteers, carried out "video parades" at the British Embassy in the capital and young German victims picked out offenders.

*Insp Morley appealed to people from ethnic minorities to join the force identity parade data base.

Volunteers earn up to £25 when they are called in to help.

Call 01273 665760.