Computer games are being removed from around 1,000 police Blackberry devices to prevent officers being tempted to play them while on duty.

Bedfordshire Police are disabling games on new Blackberrys and will remove the entertainment option from existing devices when they are repaired, replaced or upgraded.

A spokeswoman for Bedfordshire Police said none of their officers had been caught playing computer games on the hi-tech gadgets while on duty, but that they were not an operational requirement and could be seen as a distraction.

The issue was raised at a meeting of the Bedfordshire Police Authority, which oversees policing across the county.

Around 10,000 Blackberry devices, which come with a selection of games as standard, were sent out to 27 police forces across England and Wales earlier this year at a cost of £50million in an attempt to cutdown on paperwork.

The hand-held computers enable officers to access the Police National Computer, allowing them to view briefings, intelligence and warrants databases while on the move.