Police chiefs and the organisation representing officers have called for Special Constables to be paid.

The pressure comes after the Government announced it planned to pay neighbourhood wardens to patrol the streets of south Abingdon.

There will be four part-time wardens and a manager in a two-year experiment. The wardens will be paid £16,870 a year pro rata but Special Constables receive nothing except a 30-a-year boot allowance.

The Home Office says the new wardens will have a distinct and different role from that of the Special Constabulary.

But one of the nine Specials in South Oxfordshire said: "It's scandalous. These new wardens will be paid. We get nothing.

"We have jobs to do and after work we carry out police duties, during the day and night helping support full-time officers in a wide range of duties from patrolling the streets to dealing with fights, traffic and helping police public events.

"Retained firefighters and people who join the Territorial Army get paid for their part-time work so why shouldn't we?"

Insp David Whitaker, of Abingdon police, said Specials carried out the same duties and faced the same risks as regular serving officers.

"There should be serious consideration given to paying them," he said. "It would reward them for their commitment and would improve their status."

Martin Elliott, chairman of the Thames Valley branch of the Police Federation, said: "The debate about whether they should be paid has been going on for years and it is about time it was resolved."

Supt Phil Gormley, area commander for south Oxfordshire, said the force was extremely lucky to have dedicated, high quality Specials. They do a very difficult job and I believe they should be rewarded it would help in recruiting and retaining Specials, which at the moment is proving difficult. But paying them is an issue for central Government to address," he said.

He pointed out that the wardens would have no special powers of arrest and would not be asked to resolve criminal activity.

Although the wardens will be in regular radio contact, they will not have batons or CS spray, as carried by police and Specials.