HAMPSHIRE police lost more than 50,000 days through staff sickness last year.

Latest figures show stress, depression or similar problems accounted for around a quarter of sick days taken by officers and support staff.

About the same number of police officer days were lost through back or knee strains, or other musculo-skeletal complaints.

Half of all absences were down to other illnesses such as infectious diseases and respiratory conditions.

Hampshire Police Federation, which represents the county's 3,600 police officers, said its members faced record levels of pressure. Federation chairman Keith Ward said: "Police officers are more under the microscope now than ever before. They are accountable for everything they do, and as a result it has become a far more stressful job.

"Aligned with that is the sheer amount of work that individual police officers have to undertake, coupled with a greater expectation from the public, who expect not just a quality service but a fast service."

Figures released to Hampshire Police Authority's personnel panel show 33,029 police officer days and 17,728 civilian days have been lost in the past year.

The number of sickness days was significantly down for police officers, with a drop of 5,044 days on the previous year, but for support staff it was up by 784.

Overall Hampshire Constabulary was within force targets of a maximum of ten days' sickness per year for each employee. An average of 9.11 duty days per police officer were lost through sickness last year with the average for support staff slightly higher at 9.33 days.

A report by Hampshire Chief Constable Paul Kernaghan highlights two Home Office-funded initiatives which could impact on the two principle reasons for staff sickness absence.

The first is a six-week back pain management programme involving a core group of absent staff with back problems receiving help from specialist physicians, physiotherapists and psychologists.

A survey of staff is also being planned to examine possible causes of stress in the workplace.