AFTER being banished to Thurso by the star of hit BBC Scotland comedy series Scot Squad, the abstract artwork of fictional police chief Cameron Miekelson is now hanging pride of place.

In a brilliant case of life imitating art, staff at the police station in Caithness have welcomed the kooky painting.

In the opening episode of the second series last month, viewers saw Chief Commissioner Miekelson – played by Jack Docherty – less than enamoured by the left-field portrait.

He declared that the best place to display it would be "in the Thurso office or something."

According to Judith Hill, public enquiry and support assistant at Thurso Police Office, everyone at the station was thrilled with the name check and she penned a letter to express their delight.

"Should we be lucky enough to actually receive a copy (or original) of this modern piece of artwork it would be given pride of place," she wrote.

The request prompted an intensive search and rescue mission by The Comedy Unit, makers of Scot Squad, who tracked it down and enlisted the help of Chief Commissioner Miekelson to hand it over to Thurso police staff earlier this week.

Chief Commissioner Miekelson said: "I'm thrilled to be seeing the back of, I mean, present this portrait to the Thurso station.

"I would have presented it myself in person but it's over five hours drive. Five hours! No, you're alright, that's just madness. So I've posted it to them. Hopefully they'll find a nice prominent wall in the station to hang it."

Rab Christie, executive producer of Scot Squad at The Comedy Unit, added: "We're sad to see the oil painting go, but we're delighted Thurso police station got in before the National Portrait Gallery in Edinburgh called up."

Scot Squad airs on BBC One Scotland, Mondays, at 10.35pm