Police are selling old items of uniforms on eBay to plug a funding gap, as campaigners accused the force of helping criminals to impersonate officers.

Sussex Police, which has a £26.5million funding shortage, is listing items including used police high-visibility jackets on the auction website, it has emerged.

A group representing victims of crime has raised fears the equipment could be used by fraudsters targeting the elderly.

It has emerged just weeks after an elderly couple in Brighton, East Sussex, which is covered by the force, were scammed out of £9,000 by two bogus police officers.

Stephen McCarthy, the director for England of the Action on Elder Abuse charity, said: "It's not going to be bringing in an awful lot of money and it seems a bit strange - why take that risk for such small amounts of money?"

Sussex Police said the items have "police branding and insignia removed", with profits going back to the force.