Sussex Police has lost 164 special constables - around 35 per cent of its total strength - since Labour came to power.

Home Office figures today revealed the number of volunteer officers plunged from 465 in September 1997 to just 301 last autumn.

Nationwide, there are now 12,068 special constables, compared to 19,163 in 1997.

Home Secretary David Blunkett is considering allowing forces to pay specials as part of a wider shake-up of police practices.

But Tories claim the same Government reforms are responsible for plunging morale, which is causing specials to quit in droves.

Two years ago, the Home Office launched a £700,000 advertising campaign to try to stem the alarming decline.

But the latest figures show the campaign failed.

A new campaign was launched at the start of this year under the slogan Could You?.