A Sussex policeman who broke his leg in a motorcycle crash today won about £10,000 damages after judges decided that force bosses had provided "unsuitable" riding boots.

PC Robert Blair was hurt when riding off-road during an police advanced motorcycle training course in 2009, the Court of Appeal was told.

He sued Sussex Police claiming that bosses had issued riders with "classic clubman tourer boots" when they should have provided more protective "motocross boots".

The force disputed his allegation and a county court judge had thrown out the claim.

But three appeal judges today overturned the county court judgment and ruled in Pc Blair's favour after a hearing in London.

Lord Justice Longmore said an orthopaedic surgeon felt that PC Blair's injuries would have been "minimised" if had he had been wearing "stronger boots".

And the judge - who sat with Lord Neuberger, the Master of the Rolls, and Lord Justice Lewison - said it would have been "possible" and "not impractical" to prevent significant injury by providing stronger boots.

He said force bosses and Mr Blair had disagreed on liability but agreed that any damages would be around £10,000.