RECRUITMENT for new constables at Wiltshire Police has closed after just a few hours as website hits reached nearly 300,000.

Demand was so high for the £19,000-a-year posts that the website initially crashed when web applications launched at 4pm yesterday.

A force spokesman said: "Wiltshire Police recruitment for police officers is now closed further to an exceptionally high level of interest with over 283,820 hits on the Force website alone.

"We thank all those who took an interest in applying."