Stressed-out emergency call operators in Bradford are receiving regular massages in the office to help them through the day.

Professional masseurs have been called in to calm staff manning the police's high-pressure 999 call centre.

The pilot scheme is designed to cut stress-related illness and boost performance at the force's three communications hubs, one of which is housed at Bradford's city centre Tyrls station.

Workers there are being offered head, neck, back and hand massages during their regular breaks from duty.

The scheme has been launched amid worrying levels of sickness among police-employed communications staff.

Bradford Councillor John Ruding, a member of West Yorkshire Police Authority, said the teams of operators were currently understaffed and their workload had soared over recent years, leading to increased levels of stress.

He highlighted the sheer volume of calls they received as well as their potentially harrowing nature.

Coun Ruding (Lab, Tong) said: "Sickness levels are higher in these centres than is usual across the force."

Coun Ruding said the three-month trial scheme was launched following consultation with workers and would be funded through a specific "environmental budget" aimed at upping productivity by improving the workplace.

He said: "Anything which helps improve the public's vital first point of contact must be useful and this will be reviewed after three months. The longer term solution is to increase staff numbers and bring the call centres up to state-of-the-art facilities."

Every week, more than 10,000 calls are received by the Wakefield-based central call bureau before they are passed through to offices in Bradford or Leeds.

Chief Inspector Rod Wark, Personnel Manager at HQ Communications, said: "Given the demanding and challenging job these people do, and the clear link between work-related pressures, under performance and ill health, we want to explore ways of reducing stress levels."

He said the massages aimed to "ease out tension and stress" in order to leave the operator "calm, energised and alert".

It is hoped the massages will also cut headaches, eye strain and computer fatigue while increasing concentration, he added.

The treatment involves using a specially-designed portable chair which supports the worker and allows them to be massaged through their clothes on the back, neck, hands and head.