Almost 97 per cent of West Yorkshire Police officers passed a new annual fitness test, figures have revealed.

Of the 1,286 West Yorkshire officers that took the bleep test between September last year and March, 1,243 passed – a figure of 96.7 per cent.

The national average was 97 per cent, with two forces – Humberside and Northumbria – achieving a 100 per cent pass rate.

The test is ahead of police forces beginning annual fitness testing in September following recommendations in the Winsor Review.

The review recommended that all officers who “may be” deployed to the front line – including chief officers and those on secondments and federation representatives – take the test.

If an officer fails, he or she be penalised in their pay packet and failure to pass the test three times will result in dismissal for unsatisfactory performance.