Speed cameras have caught 105 police officers breaking the limit.

All of them were snapped in Sussex driving police vehicles at excessive speeds without using blue flashing lights.

In 103 cases officers were excused a penalty because the force provided proof that they were responding to emergency calls.

The other two drivers will have to attend a court hearing to justify their speed.

Emma Rogers, spokeswoman for Sussex Safety Camera Partnership, which runs speed cameras and hands out fines, said officers did not always use flashing lights because sometimes they did not want to be spotted.

She said: "These 105 during the year did not show their blue lights so they were treated as any other driver. We sent a notice of intended prosecution.

"We certainly don't treat any profession in Sussex any differently."

Sussex has 56 cameras covering 9,000 miles of road.

The penalty for an ordinary driver caught by a speed camera is a £60 fine and three penalty points.

A police spokesman said: "Sussex Police can confirm that in 103 cases last year police cars were seen on automated cameras exceeding the speed limit.

"Full copies of the 999 emergency police logs which related to the incidents they were dealing with were sent.

"As a result no further action was taken as it was verifiable that officers were attending emergency calls at the time of exceeding the limit. This applies to all emergency services - police, fire and ambulances.

"When the speed limit is broken no action will be taken if the log is provided."

He said he did not have any information about the two that had not been cleared.

Last year speed and traffic light cameras in Sussex raised £3,772,800 in fines.

Brigitte Chaudhry, secretary of Roadpeace, which campaigns for safer roads on behalf of accident victims, said she was planning to write to the Independent Police Complaints Commission to ask why there had been so many police drivers caught breaking the limit.

Mrs Chaudhry said: "It is extremely risky for the public if the lights aren't on and the sirens aren't on so people have no warning."

She added that the Government would struggle to achieve its targets of casualty reduction if the law enforcers were themselves breaking the speed limit and giving a poor example.