WHILE the soaps may entrance the nation a couple of times a week sometimes real-life provides more compelling dramas.

Such was the case with the murder of Rhys Jones in 2007. The 11 year-old Everton fan was on his way home from football practice in Croxteth, Liverpool, when he was caught in the crossfire of two gangs. His death plainly devastated his family and horrified a nation.

The TV mini-series last year, Little Boy Blue, showed how the investigation eventually – with much perseverance by police and especially by Detective Superintendent Dave Kelly (played brilliantly by Stephen Graham) – unravelled what had happened and brought all those involved to justice.

Tomorrow night on ITV, Susanna Reid presents a documentary The Murder of Rhys Jones: Police Tapes talking to Rhys’s parents Steve and Mel and tracking the investigation. It’s followed afterwards by the first two episodes of Little Boy Blue.

It makes compelling viewing and underlines once more how dogged police work can get results and fascinates with insider knowledge and genuine emotion.