The chief constable of one of England's biggest police forces has said the "reality" of modern-day policing means the public are sometimes not getting the service they expect.

David Thompson, of West Midlands Police, said demand on the force was increasing, with cuts across all public services meaning more vulnerable people were coming into contact with the police.

Warning that the "list" of crimes that needed to be investigated, including modern-day slavery and gang crime, was increasing, he admitted that it had left policing in a position that was "not sustainable".

He told the BBC: "The level of calls we're receiving this summer are very challenging (and) sometimes that service that we're providing (at) those peak times doesn't meet what the public expect.

"We may be dealing with it over the phone where they would like to see us and I'm sorry about that but that is the reality of where policing is now.

"And on some occasions... the service will not meet what I want it to do and it will not meet the response that the public absolutely will want when they're at a time of vulnerability."