Kent Police have slammed criticism of a competition they run encouraging school pupils to write letters about homosexuality and transsexuality.

A national newspaper ran the story today criticising the force for demonstrating a blind obsession with the politically-correct agenda.

The competition - which the force has run for five years - offers a £25 prize to a student who writes a 200 word essay on the subject.

Children are told the essay title must be 'All Different, Same Respect', which is the slogan for a series of events being organised by the force to mark Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transsexual (LGBT) history month.

The force is running the competition in conjunction with a number of events run by themselves and Kent County Council.

Pupils do not have to take part in the competition, but schools are offered the chance to take part to complement what is already taught as part of the curriculum during the LGBT event.

It is also seen as a way for the force to encourage people to report incidents of homophobic abuse.

Kent Police is ranked the fourth most gay-friendly employer in Britain by Stonewall Workplace Equality Index.