STRESSED and depressed Medway Council staff were responsible for the loss of more than 14,000 working days in 2007 alone.

Sick staff took an amazing 82,925 days off last year, with ailments ranging from haemorrhoids to hayfever.

Taking a 35-hour week paid at the minimum wage of £5.52, this works out as a figure in the region of £3,204,222 paid in sick pay last year.

A combination of stress and depression were responsible for the loss of the most working days. A total of 14,134 days were lost because of the conditions.

A spokesman for Medway Council said: "The physical and mental well-being of staff is of paramount importance and support is offered to all employees who find themselves on either short or long-term sick leave."

See Friday's Medway Messenger for the full story.