Force 'sorry' over hearse photos

Thames Valley Police has said it withdrew police escorts for hearses carrying British soldiers after two officers died in an accident.

Chief Constable Sara Thornton apologised for any distress caused but said the motorcycles were withdrawn after deaths in another county.

She added that a new fleet would be "operational" in mid June.

Her comments come after hearses were reportedly seen stuck in heavy traffic in Oxford over the weekend.

The pictures of the vehicles without police escorts were published in The Mail on Sunday.

'Properly recognised'

A statement published on the Thames Valley Police website from Chief Constable Thornton, read: "It is very important that the sacrifice made by young men and women in our armed forces is properly recognised by the whole community and the police have a part to play in that act of respect.

"At the beginning of the action in Iraq and Afghanistan, our servicemen and women were brought to RAF Brize Norton and were escorted by Thames Valley Police motorcyclists to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford.

"A year ago this changed to RAF Lyneham and Wiltshire Constabulary took over initial responsibility for escort.

"Unfortunately, this coincided with the withdrawal of all our motorcycles from the road after the deaths of two police officers elsewhere in the country and so Thames Valley Police was unable to continue the escort from the Wiltshire border.

"I apologise for any distress caused by the photographs of military hearses caught in heavy traffic on the congested roads of Oxford."