THAMES Valley Police officers scored a 97 per cent pass rate in a new national fitness test.

The tests were taken between March and May and were brought in after recommendations made by Chief Inspector of Constabulary Tom Winsor.

A total of 2,048 out of 4,212 officers in Thames Valley, which covers Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, took part.

They were run by the College of Policing and the only forces with a 100 per cent pass rate were Humberside and Surrey.

The average score across the country, out of 32 forces who took part in more than 13,000 tests, was 97.5 per cent.

The test involves running between two lines 50ft apart at an increasing pace set by bleeps.

From September the test will become mandatory and officers will be expected to pass it on an annual basis.

The force with the worst pass rate was North Yorkshire with 83.8 per cent, where 74 officers took part.

The college’s Rose Bartlett said: “The results show that the vast majority of officers tested are fit.

“The new guidance issued to forces has been designed to provide supportive measures to help officers to pass.”

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