'Illegal' police force drone is grounded

A POLICE force has grounded a £40,000 "eye in the sky" amid concerns of illegal use.

The remote control drone helicopters, fitted with CCTV and thermal imaging cameras, are used by several forces.

Last week Merseyside Police announced the device had been involved in its first arrest when it helped officers track down a suspected car thief in thick fog. But now the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has said it never gave Merseyside the required permission to use it for surveillance purposes.

A CAA spokesman said: "The CAA has been in consultation to ensure operations are conducted in accordance with UK aviation regulations."