MPs are to be lobbied for extra money to provide more police in West Yorkshire.

The West Yorkshire force has record numbers of officers after recruiting more than 260 PCs last year, but still has fewer for every 100,000 people than any similar metropolitan force outside London.

The police authority has allocated money for 250 more - 180 constables and 70 sergeants plus 100 other staff - this year and will speak to MPs about the issue at Parliamentary briefings in the next few weeks.

West Yorkshire Police Authority chairman Mark Burns-Williamson wants a previous funding formula reintroduced after Home Office cash was frozen last year.

He said: "A flat rate was given to all police authorities, which penalised the bigger authorities like ourselves. We did lose out by about £7 million last year.

"It would have been a decision for the full police authority as to how that money would have been spent but I would imagine the majority would have gone on more officers.

"It would have paid for a substantial number of officers, certainly more than 100, which would have made quite a difference."

Last year the county's police authority had £346 million to spend - 84 per cent from the Government and the rest from Council Tax. It received the equivalent of £173 per head of population - below the metropolitan average of £186.

The force currently has around 5,300 police officers, of which 4,270 are constables.

Coun Burns-Williamson said: "We will be trying to urge MPs to make sure the funding formula is applied on a fair basis. We are at record numbers of police officers in West Yorkshire and we want to sustain that funding that has already been invested.

"I get the impression they recognise the formula needs to be updated this year. Missing out on £7 million has a significant effect."

He said the Bradford district was 60 officers up over the last 18 months and added: "We have made a significant contribution to patrols and reassurance in the community. We have recognised over the last two or three years we are behind most similar forces but we have closed the gap and aim to close it further."

A West Yorkshire Police spokesman said: "Although there are no specific representations to the Government for extra officers, we continue to meet MPs and put our case forward for increased funding for officers for the forthcoming financial year."

The Police Federation has claimed the Bradford public is suffering because PCs were standing in for sergeants because of a shortage of sergeants and inspectors - meaning there were fewer officers to deal with incidents.