BOBBIES in Staffordshire have scoffed more than £7,400 worth of chocolates, cakes, meals and biscuits handed in as gifts from the public in three years.

Police are advised to declare all treats donated to them during work time on the force's gifts and hospitality register.

Records from 2009 to 2011 show 500 of the 639 gifts accepted by officers were meals, hospitality, confectionery and alcohol.

But officers also accepted gifts worth a total of more than £12,400 which ranged from a £6 kettle to £30 B&Q vouchers and a job lot of men's shower gel worth £200.

Other donations accepted by officers included:

A cat – accepted by one officer who was warned by the owner it would be destroyed if it did not find a new home;

Concert tickets worth £540 handed to a PC by the event organiser;

A £100 cash donation used to fund the upkeep of bicycles at the Bradwell Police Post.

Chief Constable Mike Cunningham, pictured below, signed the register 17 times after attending a series of meals and suppers.

The county's top cop also got two tickets worth £86 each to the 2010 Carling Cup final between Aston Villa and Manchester United.

He also accepted a Russian hat from visiting dignitaries and a bottle of whisky after giving a speech and a glass decanter.

The register also reveals the 55 gifts which were turned down.

They include an invitation to the IT Directors Forum on board a cruise ship and a £200 VIP package at Leicester Tigers Rugby Club.

Notes on the register show some officers are uneasy about accepting gifts, with one stating she stored a bottle of wine in the station's cupboard until she could find a charity raffle to hand it to.

Another officer who accepted a free lunch stated: "Despite many attempts to pay, the manager refused to accept payment."

And at least 20 officers said they only accepted gifts to avoid causing offence.

Former Staffordshire Police inspector Nigel Gunn said: "I had to turn gifts down quite regularly because people would call in to say thanks with a bottle of whisky or wine and you're not supposed to accept alcohol.

"I imagine the alcohol that was accepted was to avoid causing offence, because that's a real issue. If you do have to turn something down you still want to make them feel good.

"They're little tokens. If someone takes the trouble to send in a card and a box of chocolates it's worth more to a bobby than extra pay because that's why most of them joined the force – to make a difference.

"It's ever so common. I think it shows the public, by and large, support the police and we're lucky to have that relationship in Staffordshire."

A spokesman for Staffordshire Police said: "By far the largest category relates to small tokens of appreciation, such as biscuits and chocolates, for officers' work in their neighbourhood, from community members.

"Procedures are in place to make sure that such donations are made as transparently as possible and that standards of professional public service and integrity are maintained by all officers and staff."