From donuts to sausage rolls, a Greggs chicken bake and a hand-carved wooden "thank you" plaque - the gifts police officers receive are wide-ranging and more often than not, food-based.

Every year the county's police force receives hundreds of items from the community, some are given by the general public as thank you gifts for officers work while others are items, such as vehicles, are loaned to the force.

Eastern Daily Press: Officers from Norfolk police out in Cromer during lockdown - throughout the pandemic officers across the force received gifts and 'thank-you' presents from the general publicOfficers from Norfolk police out in Cromer during lockdown - throughout the pandemic officers across the force received gifts and 'thank-you' presents from the general public (Image: Archant)

Between October 2019 and September 2020, Norfolk Constabulary staff received £35,025.78 worth of gifts - up £30,767.79 on the same period the previous year.

Each one is recorded on the constabulary's Register of Gifts and Hospitality, which shows whether a gift was accepted, rejected and its perceived value.

The most frequently gifted items were food-based, with officers receiving hundreds of Easter eggs, an estimated £861 worth, several chocolate variety boxes, with Quality Street proving the most popular and 52 pizzas.

The force was also gifted a Greggs Chicken bake worth £1.50, a Marks and Spencer prawn salad worth £4 and 10 sausage rolls.

More unusual items listed on the register included a police baseball cap gifted to chief constable Simon Bailey from the Korean Police Delegation and a glass paperweight, hat and badge from representatives of the National Police Agency Taiwan.

The highest value items on the register included carriageway clearance equipment given to the force by Norfolk County Council and free fuel at BP stations for 10 days in March worth £16,000.

In a change from previous years, officers were also given a number of items of personal protective equipment, receiving £309 worth between April and June 2020, a period which coincided with the first national lockdown.

While the majority of gifts were accepted by staff, those which were declined included six scratch cards, some biscuits and a bottle of alcohol donated to the force by Sheringham Brownies.

Norfolk Constabulary guidance accompanying the register states: "All members of Constabulary staff are required to declare any offer or acceptance of a gift and this is closely monitored by the Professional Standards Department.

The force says many gifts are offered in appreciation of officers' hard work and "most are politely refused unless it is felt that a refusal would cause offence."

Gifts of "higher value are referred to chief officers for consideration on a case-by-case basis."