THE police have apologised for not providing escorts for dead servicemen's hearses travelling through Oxfordshire.

And a former city policeman said the failing made him "ashamed" to have represented the force.

Thames Valley Police Chief Constable Sara Thornton admitted processions carrying bodies from RAF Lyneham, Wiltshire, to the John Radcliffe Hospital, in Oxford, for post-mortem examinations travelled unaccompanied once in Oxfordshire.

Wiltshire Police routinely give an escort to military corteges to the county border, where Thames Valley Police has authority.

Thames Valley Police said the hearses had travelled unaccompanied for a year, but said the policy would change once new motorcycles came into operation in June.

Former Acting Det Insp David Youd, 72, from Wheatley, said: "I'm ashamed to have been in the Thames Valley force and I've spoken to a few ex-colleagues who feel exactly the same.

"I was absolutely appalled by what has been happening and just could not believe it."

Last night, Ms Thornton said: "It's very important that the sacrifice made by young men and women in our armed forces is properly recognised by the whole community and the police have a part to play in that act of respect.

"At the beginning of the action in Iraq and Afghanistan, our servicemen and women were brought to RAF Brize Norton and were escorted by Thames Valley Police motorcyclists to the John Radcliffe hospital in Oxford. A year ago this changed to RAF Lyneham and Wiltshire Constabulary took over initial responsibility for escort.

"Unfortunately, this coincided with the withdrawal of all our motorcycles from the road after the deaths of two police officers elsewhere in the country, and so Thames Valley Police was unable to continue the escort from the Wiltshire border.

"We are, however, about to take delivery of a new fleet of motorcycles and they will be operational from the second week of June. Thames Valley Police will then recommence the escort to facilitate movement through traffic.

"I apologise for any distress caused by the photographs of military hearses caught in heavy traffic on the congested roads of Oxford.