Northamptonshire Police deploy greener motorbikes in 'world first'

Police officers across a county will be the "first in the world" to ride a new fleet of three-wheeler petrol-hybrid motorcycles, a force has said.

Northamptonshire Police has boosted its road units with eight of the vehicles in a bid to be more environmentally friendly.

It has developed the bike over the last three years alongside a local firm.

Chief Constable Nick Adderley said: "You will not see these machines anywhere else in the world."

The new petrol-electric models, which partly run on detachable batteries that can be charged from normal plug points rather than special charging stations, will reduce carbon emissions by up to 50%, the force said.