KENT'S top police officer fears the latest Operation Stack misery is overstretching his force.

Every day that the operation runs, it takes 90 police officers away from their normal traffic duties at a cost of £15,000.

But while Stack has been controversial before, Kent's chief constable Michael Fuller is alarmed by the length of the latest operation.

It has been forced by a French ferry workers' strike, and is the first time Stack has run over more than three consecutive days.

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Mr Fuller called a special press conference on Thursday to address the issue.

He said: "We are looking at the longest operation that we have ever had, a record number of days, and all the signs are that we are going to be running this operation well into next week.

"This ties up the whole of our traffic department and a solution must be found to this problem, which has been going on for many years.

"At the moment it is a very serious situation. Our traffic officers are not actually doing what they should be doing, which is making sure that our roads are safe."

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Ch Insp Phil Hibben, the man responsible for policing stack, admitted the operation causes disruption and frustration for Kent's motorists.

He said: "We all use the motorway. All our staff use the road network. It is very disruptive for local residents. Our staff are all local as well.

"I sympathise and can understand the frustration that local people feel. It is hugely disruptive.

"But I can reassure the people of Kent that in the ciurcumstances this is the best option."