Higher than expected numbers of police officers are leaving Wiltshire Constabulary.

The county's Police Federation, which represents rank and file officers, blames resignations and transfers of officers on better paid jobs outside the force and high living costs in Wiltshire.

Police officers' pay is set by the Home Office and is the same across the country apart from London, where an extra £6,000 is given.

A police constable in Wiltshire would start on a salary of £17,100 rising to £19,100 after 31 weeks initial training.

In the current financial year Wiltshire police are predicting that 45 officers will leave the force, but in the first six months 40 have left and it looks likely that more than 45 will eventually quit.

Almost all those officers predicted to retire have done so but more have transferred and resigned.

The force predicted that four officers would transfer but so far seven have done so and six were expected to resign but eight have already gone.

PC Philip Davenport, Wiltshire Police Federation chairman, said: "With the rate of pay that police constables are getting in their first few years they are finding it difficult to find housing in the county that they can afford.

"There's also a strong employment market, particularly in Swindon, and the wages are very competitive. I'm not convinced that the police service can compete with the salaries it pays."

PC Davenport said the Home Office ought to increase the pay for junior officers and consider re-instating a housing allowance.

"Living in Wiltshire is reasonably costly. There are other areas that are more expensive to live in than Wiltshire but there are also cheaper places to live," he said.

Helen Linford, the force recruitment officer, said: "We do try to reduce resignations by offering flexible ways of working. We offer part time work and career breaks which have improved retention, particularly among women over the past few years.

"A high proportion of the officers are leaving through retirement and more have gone in the first six months. Some have left the service to earn more money while some have transferred to be nearer to their families."