Wrong fuel costs police £23,000

Damage to police vehicles caused by using the wrong type of fuel has cost the Avon and Somerset force more than £23,000 over the past three years.

Since 2005, more than 100 cars have been put out of action by civilian staff and officers who put petrol in a diesel tank and vice versa.

A spokesman said the constabulary was looking at ways to reduce the problem.

"It happens about 50 times a year which sounds a lot but we actually fill up about 57,000 times in total," he said.

Figures released under the Freedom of Information Act show the force spent £8,870 on wrong-fuel repairs during financial year 2007/8.

The year before the cost was £8,353 and the 2005/06 bill was £6,074.