West Yorkshire police officers have been forced to use controversial US- style stun guns almost once a week since the weapons were introduced.

Home Office figures released yesterday show the weapons, which can temporarily incapacitate a target using up to 50,000 volts, have been used 60 times since July 2005.

Latest figures, ending on December 31, means that on average they were used as a preventative measure, fired or as a warning almost once a week.

The force has drawn and aimed the weapon 32 times, shot the Taser five times as a "demonstration or warning," pointed it at close range on three occasions and fired it 20 times.

A spokesman for West Yorkshire Police said: "The Taser gun was introduced to West Yorkshire in July 2005 and it is seen as an option for use in a situation where fire arms authority has been granted in accordance with criteria in the Association of Chief Police Officer's manual of guidance on police use of firearms."

The usage makes West Yorkshire the country's second top users of the weapon, with only the Metropolitan Police using the guns more.

Tasers look like a fluorescent pistol and use compressed air to fire two darts that trail an electric cable back to the handset.

When the darts strike, a five-second 50,000-volt charge is released down the cable. At present, only specially-trained officers are allowed to carry the weapon.

But under plans being considered by the Home Office the usage could become more widely spread with proposals which would see chief constables making the decision to allow specially trained officers to use the weapons.

A Home Office spokesman said: "At the moment only firearms units are authorised to use them but we will be choosing pilot areas where other trained officers will also be able to use them. It is up to chief officers to make the decisions about when they will be made available."

Five police forces began trials of the use of the Taser in 2003 - Lincolnshire Police, Metropolitan Police Service, Northamptonshire Police, North Wales Police and Thames Valley Police.

Nationally, until the end of last year, there had been 619 incidents involving Tasers, which have been drawn and aimed 326 times, fired as a demonstration or warning 28 times, applied as a stun-drive 26 times and fired 239 times.