THE number of West Mercia police officers retiring on medical grounds has increased in the past year, an official report revealed today.

Last year, the 28 retirements on the grounds of ill-health accounted for almost 36 per cent of the total number of officers standing down.

And the force also clocked up more than 26,000 days sick leave last year.

The retirement figure comes despite Government requests to try and reduce the number of police leaving on medical grounds.

It leaves the force above the target set by Ministers of 33 per cent and is an increase of 2.1 per cent on the number of officers retiring on medical grounds in 1999/2000.

The figures, contained in Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Constabulary Annual Report, put pressure on police chiefs to find a solution.

The report states: "There continues to be evidence of the misuse of medical retirement provisions in a limited number of cases."

Early retirement has become a thorny political issue, with critics claiming it is too easy for officers to leave with generous packages - sometimes while they are under investigation for alleged wrongdoing.

The report also revealed the average number of days sick leave taken by West Mercia police last year was 13.6.

The figure - the equivalent of 26,563 days lost to illness - is a slight decrease on the previous 12 months. The national average is 12.2 days.

"A review has been carried out into policies relating to sickness," said West Mercia spokesman Allen Peach.

"We believe that, as a result of the review, sickness levels have improved during the last six months.

"The force is meeting national targets in relation to medical retirements.

"Policing is a demanding job and this is a contributing factor to sickness levels."