WILTSHIRE Police are not offering any of their police cells to the Home Office to ease the prison cell crisis.

Wiltshire Police spokesman Steve Coxhead said: "Wiltshire Police have considered the issue and are not participating."

He declined to explain the reasons why the force was not taking part.

A total of 240 cells at police stations across the country are being made available to the prison service initially.

The Association of Chief Police Officers said it was a short-term measure and "will in no way affect the normal day to day service of police officers."

Pc Philip Davenport, chairman of Wiltshire Police Federation, said the federation had not been informed of Wiltshire Police's decision not to offer any police cells.

He said: "The force wouldn't want it to affect front line policing. The three custody suites in Wiltshire are incredibly busy and wouldn't be necessarily appropriate for that style of confinement.

"The other custody areas that are mothballed and haven't been used for many years may not be suitable either."

He added: "It has been done in the past and it did provide a short term solution to a problem the prison service had.

"Officers came in and worked on their rest days and would get paid overtime.

"It didn't cause any major issues but there are some risks as they might not get adequate rest in between their normal policing functions."