The Met Police force owes its officers 189,000 rest days

The Met says 2017 was an "unprecedented year" for policing in the capital

Met Police officers racked up 189,000 cancelled rest days last year amid "unprecedented" demands on the force, the BBC has found.

Two terror attacks and the Grenfell Tower fire saw extra officers brought in to aid with the force's response.

Chair of the Met Police Federation, Ken Marsh MBE, said the situation had put a "massive strain" on staff.

Deputy Met Commissioner Craig Mackey said officers had been allowed to carry rest days into 2018 and 2019.

In the wake of high-profile events, Mr Mackey said, police had to work rest days, on bank holidays and long hours "in order to get the job done".

'Can't recharge'

"I have been amazed by the continued dedication and commitment that is being shown and we have made efforts to ensure that officers regain their rest days as soon as possible," he said.

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However, Mr Marsh believes the cancelled days figure is higher and it is putting a "massive strain" on staff.

"Regardless of what figure it is, the amount of rest days being cancelled is absurd," he said.

"Our officers are not contracted, we serve the Queen and what the public don't understand is that these officers have no choice but to work when days off are cancelled.

"It means officers can't recharge and rest up. It is a massive strain on them."

One of the calls police responded to was that of the Grenfell Tower fire on 14 June 2017

At one point in 2017, Mr Mackey had to write to retired officers to ask them to consider returning to work with the Met to help with an "unprecedented demand" on its detective capacity.

With a spike in violent crimes across the capital this year and the prospect of US president Donald Trump visiting London, Mr Marsh fears the adverse impact on officers could get worse.

"The best way forward is to recruit more officers," he said.

More than 70 murder investigations have also taken place in the capital in 2018

According to the Met, as of April, it currently has 29,924 officers - a drop from 31,075 officers as of January 2017.

"We will make every effort to ensure that, demand aside, officers can continue to take re-rostered rest days in a timely manner," Mr Mackey said.

Both Deputy Commissioner Craig Mackey and Commissioner Cressida Dick have admitted the Met's resources "are stretched"