POLICE officers in Hampshire are owed 30 years time off.

The claim was made last night by Hampshire Police Federation chairman Steve Price who said officers were not taking the time owing to them because they are over-stretched and lacking in numbers.

Speaking about the need to employ more fully trained police officers Mr Price told union members: "People are becoming more than just fed up. We have officers accruing rest days owed, with no chance of ever taking them off.

"I am told anecdotally there is over 30 years worth of days owed to officers in the force.

"The result is officers being overworked and stretched to the limit. We are spread far too thin and trying to do far too much."

Officers who accrue time off have three months in which to take them or they are paid a days work.

Hampshire's Chief Constable Paul Kernaghan said: There is no suggestion that any time is being lost, officers are either having to take them within an allotted time or they are paid."

In his speech he said: "Even if we had double the amount of police officers we have I would still no doubt be able to find gainful employment for them."

In his debut speech as chairman of Hampshire's police federation Mr Price also criticised the way officer's time was spent recording events.

"We try our best to solve problems instantly or stick on some plasters to make do until someone else comes along."

Currently 3,723 officers are employed by Hampshire and the Isle of Wight constabulary, the same amount as there were last year despite an intensive recruiting drive and campaign by police chiefs.

Mr Price said that while the numbers have remained the same the work load for officers has increased.