A CASH-STRAPPED police force was last night facing a costly damages bill after an officer on a 999 call knocked down a couple - leaving a man needing his leg amputated.

Cleveland Police constable Trevor Myers was criticised by a judge for "not being the most reliable witness" in the claim brought by David and Lillian Layton.

PC Myers, a dog handler with the force, was speeding at up to 60mph in Acklam Road, Middlesbrough, in response to an emergency call, before he collided with Mr Layton, who was returning home from a night out with his wife.

He managed to push his wife out of the way, but the impact left him with serious leg and pelvic injuries, and doctors were eventually forced to amputate his left leg below the knee.

Mr Layton, 45, of Bruce Avenue, Middlesbrough, had been due to start a job as a taxi driver before the accident, early on November 13, 1999, and brought a claim for personal injuries jointly with his wife.

Judge Peter Fox, hearing the civil case in Middlesbrough, found against Cleveland Police and said that "liability in its primary sense", in terms of PC Myers' driving being the cause of the accident, had been clearly established.

He also found that the officer had failed to sound his siren to give enough warning of his approach.

But he also attached some blame to the claimants, who, he said, were half way responsible for failing to pay heed to the developing traffic situation.

A further hearing at a date to be arranged will set the level of damages, with all costs being met by the Cleveland force, which is already grappling with a multi-million pound budget deficit.

The civil hearing had heard how PC Myers was responding to reports of a "large fight" at the Yorkshire Dragoon pub, in Thornaby, Teesside, when he collided with Mr Layton as he crossed at the junction of Acklam Road and Oxford Road.

Eric Elliott, for the claimants, said: "It is their contention that PC Myers did not have his siren working and, although he was in their vision, the claimants believed they had sufficient time to cross the road."

He said PC Myers, whose car flipped over and landed on bollards, was driving into a "funnel of danger" because of two taxi cars that were also using the junction.

Mr Elliott said: "There was no attempt to reduce his speed until he banged on his brakes and, effectively, then it was too late."

Both sides agreed that had PC Myers reduced his speed by 10mph, he could have avoided hitting Mr Layton.

Witness John Postgate said the speed of the police car was "more appropriate for the A1".

Simon Wood, for Cleveland Police, said the Laytons had failed to use a nearby pelican crossing and had crossed when it was self-evidently dangerous to do so.

He also said they had stepped inexplicably into the path of the police car without warning.

Judge Fox said that although it was entirely appropriate for PC Myers to exceed the speed limit, the call to the Yorkshire Dragoon was not a life or death situation.

He said the officer had tended to underestimate his actions on this occasion and should have moderated his speed.

He said: "Mr Myers had not been informed that it was the highest priority call and it was more appropriate that he should have been driving as quickly as possible within certain perimeters of safety."