Seven police forces in England have given company cars with blue lights and sirens to civilian staff not trained to use them, the BBC has learned.

Finance, HR and IT directors were among nine senior staff given vehicles.

One tax expert said the recipients could save thousands of pounds each year as emergency vehicles are treated differently by HM Revenue and Customs.

The forces said the vehicles were part of their wider fleet, and denied they were provided for tax reasons.

BBC News sent Freedom of Information requests to all 45 UK forces, asking them if they had provided civilian staff with cars fitted with emergency response equipment, and received responses from all.

‘Not qualified’

The seven forces which said they had were Devon and Cornwall, Merseyside, Humberside, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, Avon and Somerset, and Greater Manchester Police.

Read more http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-34142499