A minister has admitted misleading parliament over the number of police injured at the summer's Climate Camp protest in Medway.

Police minister Vernon Coaker today apologised for telling MPs that 70 officers were injured dealing with the protests at Lodge Hill Farm, Hoo and at the nearby Kingsnorth Power Station.

His comments came after it was revealed that of the 1,500 officers policing the Kingsnorth protest in August, only 12 suffered reportable injuries.

The data was obtained by the Liberal Democrats via under the Freedom of Information Act.

During the camp, the police were accused of heavy handed tactics but ministers justified what they called the "proportionate" £5.9m cost of the operation, pointing out that 70 officers had been injured in the course of their duties.

The Home Office has now said the protesters had not been responsible for any injuries. In a three-line written answer to a parliamentary question, the Home Office minister Vernon Coaker wrote to the Lib Dem justice spokesman, David Howarth, saying: "Kent police have informed the Home Office that there were no recorded injuries sustained as a result of direct contact with the protesters."

Only four of the 12 reportable injuries involved any contact with protesters and all were at the lowest level of seriousness with no further action taken.

According to the report, injuries reported included a wasp sting, heat stroke and insect bites.