The move comes after a national Sunday newspaper reported that rising prices could force police throughout the country to freeze recruitment, including Derbyshire Police.

But in response to the article, Chief Constable Mick Creedon told Chad that although rising fuel costs were having an impact on the force he was not planning to stop recruitment.

"We have 500 vehicles and we cover 23,000 miles per day," he said. "We have recently reported to the Police Authority that this would cost us in the region of £400,000 extra in the current year.

"Like all members of the community, it's not just our fuel bill which has seen a big increase. We have something in the region of 100 police premises, all of which require heating, lighting and water.

"Whilst this has a huge impact, we will deal with it as part of our overall financial planning and at the moment I have no plans to stop recruitment or to cut officer numbers."