Figures for the increase of ethnic minority officers in the Metropolitan Police have been found to be wildly inaccurate.

An inquiry has been set up to find out why 218 officers were described as being from ethnic minorities when 214 were of Irish or other Caucasian origin.

Only four were from ethnic minorities and Met commissioner Sir John Setevens was described as furious over the "cock-up".

The Met apologised to the Home Office yesterday for the data which resulted in the government releasing incorrect figures on police numbers.