HAMPSHIRE police officers have used US-style stun guns to shock suspects into submission with 50,000 volt-charges.

Figures published by the Home Office show the county's constabulary has fired Taser guns on seven separate occasions since the Government authorised their usein 2004.

The guns use compressed air to fire two darts that trail an electric cable back to the handset. When the darts strike, a five-second 50,000-volt charge is released down the cable, temporarily paralysing the target's muscles.

Since then, there have been 572 incidents nationwide involving Taser guns, which have been drawn and aimed 301 times, fired as a demonstration or warning 27 times, applied directly to suspects' skin 26 times and fired 218 times.

According to a poll by the Police Federation, the representative body to which every police officer below the rank of superintendent belongs, 89 per cent of officers want to see the use of Tasers extended.

At present, only specially-trained firearms officers are allowed to carry the electric shock weapons.

The poll found that 45 per cent wanted more officers trained to use Tasers and a further 44 per cent wanted Tasers handed to all front-line officers.