LANCASHIRE police officers are taking their fight to be armed with stun guns to national police chiefs.

The Lancashire Police Federation last month made the unprecedented request for officers to be armed with stun guns due to the increased violence and dangers facing them in their job.

But, after meeting with Lancashire police chiefs to discuss the matter, the federation found that local bosses were powerless to grant their demand.

National policy says that stun guns can only be used by officers from firearms units.

So representatives from the federation, which represents rank-and-file officers, are planning to lobby bosses from the Association of Chief Police Officers in a bid to get the rules changed.

Steve Edwards, chairman of the Lancashire Police Federation, said the issue was brought up with Steve Finnigan, the acting chief constable, during a meeting last week.

He added: "He seems to have some sort of agreement with our point of view but the national position has to change.

"We are going to try and put pressure on ACPO to reassess their point of view."

Lancashire officers' desire to be armed with stun guns was revealed in a federation survey of the county's 3,602 cops.

Of the 1,282 officers who responded, just over half said they had felt their life was in danger while working during the past two years.

And 40 per cent of the cops said they had been injured following an assault by a member of the public during the same period.

As a result, more than 80 per cent of officers called for the use of Tasar stun guns to be extended.

Half of those wanted frontline officers to be routinely armed, while the rest want the use of stun guns extending.

The 50,000-volt guns were introduced to firearms officers in the county 16 months ago and have only been used a handful of times.

Tasars can incapacitate someone for five seconds and have a range of 21ft.