Police officers are abandoning the Thames Valley force to work in areas where the cost of living is cheaper.

Representatives of the police union, the Police Federation, say 30 officers left in October. Some retired, or left the force, but the majority transferred to work for other forces. In one week 16 officers quit.

Spiralling house prices, and the lack of a rent allowance for officers, is causing them to leave.

Federation bosses say they are becoming increasingly concerned that the Thames Valley force is being used as a 'nursery' for officers to serve their probation and then return to their home towns, where they can live more cheaply.

To try to combat the growing problem, a recruitment campaign on Monday will call for Oxfordshire residents to join up. Last month, Thames Valley Police lost 30 officers but they were only able to recruit 14. The losses for August and September were 34 and 20.

Pc Wally Cox, Thames Valley branch secretary of the federation, said: "The situation is becoming critical and we have communicated this to Chief Constable Charles Pollard, who agrees with our concerns.

"We are losing officers faster than we can recruit them and we are very concerned that Thames Valley is being used as a training ground for probationers who then leave after two years to live somewhere else more cheaply.

"Officers are running themselves into debt trying to live in the area and they are doing one of the most demanding jobs in the country.

"Our staff are risking their lives and working ridiculous shifts. Come hell or high water, they have to be there and they should be given a financial incentive to stay."

Pc Cox called for the restoration of living allowances, which were paid to officers until they were scrapped in 1994.