Staff at West Midlands Police ordered 3,248 take aways in the last year, according to a survey.

The police force came second behind Yorkshire and Humberside Police, which was the force to order the most take aways, with 3,543 deliveries.

Across the country emergency services workers - including police, fire crews and medical staff - ordered up to 140,000 meals since March last year, according to online delivery portal Just-Eat.co.uk.

The vast majority - almost 94,000 meals - went to medical establishments such as surgeries and hospitals, according to the figures, although it is not clear how many of those orders were from patients.

Fire crews were the least likely among emergency staff to order takeaway food to their workplaces.

A total of 25,364 meals were delivered to police across the UK compared with 20,382 deliveries to fire stations. Among fire crews, those in London ordered the most meals at 2,645 followed by Yorkshire and Humberside at 2,610.

Pizza was the favourite meal among police, fire crews and medical staff, followed by Indian to police and fire stations and Chinese to medical staff.

Just-Eat managing director David Buttress said: “One of our online takeaway reps noticed that a large online takeaway order was to a police station in Yorkshire. So we decided to turn the tables and investigate.