�A police officer who was forced out of the police service because he wanted to undergo a sex change is hoping to make a return to work as a woman.

Keith Gale – now called Karen – originally from Romford, has applied to the Metropolitan Police to become a police special.

She said: “I never thought they would allow gay, lesbian and transgender people in the police force, but things have really changed.

“I would love to get back in the force and I feel that I could help to make things better for other people.”

The 52-year-old, who now lives in Purfleet, had worked as a police officer for four years in Romford in 1985 when she resigned.

“Keith” made the decision to tell his inspector just days after he told his wife after she returned from work and saw him dressed in women’s clothes.

But Karen says “Keith” was told that he had no other option than to resign from her job.

She said: “I was told by my inspector in no uncertain terms I could not stay.

“There were no laws in place at the time to safeguard people and he gave the impression that if I didn’t leave they would have got rid of me.”

She added: “It was like that in many jobs in the 80s, but they spent all that time training me yet I had to go.”

Karen, who finally underwent a sex change last year, which was broadcast on Channel 4 last week on My Transsexual Summer, made the decision to apply to the force after attending a course run by the Met’s Transgender Team.

She also spoke to some of her transgender friends who are now working for the police before putting in the application three weeks ago.

Karen now has to wait another couple of months, before she can find out if her application has been successful, but she is hoping that she will be able to work again in Romford.

She said: “The 80s was a bit of a rough time in the police force, there were riots, the miner’s strike and lots happening in the country, but I just loved working as a police officer. A lot has changed since then and I will have to undergo the training again but it would just be good.”