MORE than 200 police vehicles were involved in accidents with trees, walls and animals last year, the Echo can reveal.

Devon and Cornwall Police is estimated to have paid out thousands of pounds for repairs to the vehicles after the incidents.

The figures were obtained under the Freedom of Information Act by the Echo, which asked how many vehicles had been damaged in collisions that had not involved other vehicles or people since 2007.

There have been more than 700 crashes involving police cars in the last three years and 225 last year alone.

In one, a 'tired' driver mounting a verge and hit a telegraph pole. Another happened when an officer, distracted by sheep on the side of the road, failed to see a rock, and a third driver crashed into a lamp-post in an empty car park.

A number of accidents were due to potholes, and wildlife has also proved problematic, with records of damage due to collisions with badgers, sheep, deer, foxes, a pheasant, a buzzard and even a seagull.

A spokesman for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (Rospa) said: "As with any employer, Devon and Cornwall Police should be monitoring the number and type of accidents it is having to identify what can be done to reduce them.

"Obviously, the police are required to drive in ways that the rest of us should never do, which creates additional risks, but police forces have to manage this type of driving as best as they possibly can.

"Collecting data on the causes of collisions — such as fatigue or distraction — would help develop strategies to prevent the same type of incidents from recurring," he said.

Devon and Cornwall Police says the force records all damage which occurs to vehicles, whether police personnel were at fault or not.

It also stresses that the number of incidents is low considering the police attend thousands of incidents and cover millions of miles a year.

A police spokesman said: "Public and officer safety is paramount when considering police driving strategies and our intention is always to further reduce collisions wherever possible.

"Each year the force attends approximately 75,000 immediate incidents and our fleet of vehicles cover in excess of 21 million miles, over one of the largest geographical policing areas in the country.

"Irrespective of the level of damage caused, or who was to blame, the force records all collisions involving a police vehicle. This includes damage such as minor scrapes to wheel trims and chips to windscreens. The force has a dedicated driver training unit and all fleet vehicle drivers, including police staff, undergo an initial driving test. Police officers undergo further training depending on their role.

"All collisions will continue to be recorded and reviewed and if necessary further training will be offered to drivers."

Other incidents included a crash in which a driver trying to park in a tight space missed one bollard but hit another.

In another the police vehicle reversed over a stab vest, while damage was caused to a car when it was hit by a seagull.

A police car was also damaged after its driver failed to negotiate a roundabout and hit a tree.

Several collisions took place as officers were driving out of, or moving a car within, a police station car park.

One accident report reads: 'Manoeuvring from police yard, clipped corner of station', and another records: 'Manoeuvred in rear yard and hit police building'.

The force was unable to provide full costs for the damage to police vehicles.

Reasons police gave for accidents

Distracted by sheep by the side of the road, failed to see rock in

road

Vehicle hit by low-flying pheasant

Reversed at low

speed, reversed into open glass door

Sheep jumped into road

Badger

walked into road in front of police, unable to avoid

Reversed

out of private drive and hit gatepost

Exited rear yard, blinded

by sun but hit building

Officer was distracted and vehicle hit

raised flower bed