Cheshire's police officers have been "snubbed" in the rollout of the Coronavirus vaccine, a policing body has said.

Today it was announced that people in their 40s will be next in line for a vaccine, with a person's occupation not being considered.

The chairman of the Cheshire Police Federation, Jamie Thompson, described government commitments to protect frontline officers as "bluster".

He said: "What other roles are required to breach the 2m distancing rule? I'd suggest health is one of the few yet health workers were prioritised through profession.

"This was not about jumping the queue. This was about recognising the unique work that frontline policing brings. My colleagues have no choice but to get close to people, to go in and out of peoples houses, to be put into small interview rooms with suspects."

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) recommended that age should be the only factor in deciding who is eligible to get the jab once the top nine groups have been vaccinated.

The committee argued that trying to distribute vaccines to certain occupations would slow distribution down and going by age would "provide the greatest benefit in the shortest time".

Mr Thompson added: "If this government valued the police service they would listen. This topic has rumbled on for over a month and we are still no further forward with them.

"PCCs and Chief Officers from around the country are saying the same, yet the government are burying their heads in the sand, hiding behind 'science', a 'science' they have ignored so many times during this pandemic."

Yesterday (25 February) the federation condemned the "bizarre situation where a criminal who is jailed for coughing or spitting at a police officer - threatening to infect them with Covid-19 - will get a vaccine for the virus before the police officer they attacked".