A SUSPENDED police chief revealed last night he has no plans to quit his job.

Detective Superintendent Ray Mallon was suspended from duty as head of Middlesbrough CID, three years ago next month.

Suspended as part of the controversial anti-police corruption inquiry, Operation Lancet, he strongly denied any wrongdoing, and was officially cleared of all criminal allegations in June this year.

Last night, he reiterated his intention to return to active duty.

"I have not given up the ghost - I have not given up yet," he told The Northern Echo defiantly. "I still want to return to Cleveland Police - I owe it to the public."

The father-of-two claims he has been the subject of a conspiracy to keep him out of his job and this week he claimed he was being tailed by M15.

He said: "There are senior figures in Cleveland Police determined at all costs to prevent me from returning to work. But if they don't want me to return, they'll have to try harder.

"There are a lot of people who are questioning whether I can ever return to work after all that has happened over the past three years.

"But I still want to return to Cleveland Police."

There was no one available to comment on behalf of Cleveland Police. The force has consistently declined to speak on the matter, while disciplinary matters involving Mr Mallon wait to be resolved