A FORMER model who starred as the face of a police recruitment drive has been arrested on suspicion of deception relating to a mortgage application.

Laura Nagulapalli, who became Greater Manchester Police's 8,000th recruit in January, was arrested earlier this month at a house in Adlington, where she lives, before being bailed.

PC Nagulapalli, aged 37, was pictured with Chief Constable Michael Todd when he welcomed the force's new intake at a ceremony at the force's police training centre in Sedgley Park, Whitefield.

The Malaysian-born mother-of-one, who is serving with the Wigan division, has been placed on restricted duties while the investigation continues.

She was arrested by Lancashire Police in connection with an allegation of deception concerning events which happened before she joined the force.

PC Nagulapalli previously lived in Australia, Mauritius, the Middle East and the Far East, and also worked as an air stewardess and a sales manager for an Internet firm.

A spokesman for Lancashire Police said: "We can confirm that a serving officer in Greater Manchester Police who has an address in Chorley was arrested on July 1 and is currently on police bail.

"It is an ongoing investigation and there is nothing more we can say at this stage."