A WILTSHIRE police officer was airlifted to hospital after accidentally shooting himself in the hand.

The firearms officer, who has not been named, received a gunshot wound as he was cleaning a weapon at Wiltshire Police headquarters in Devizes.

He was airlifted to Frenchay Hospital, in Bristol, for treatment.

A force spokesman said the incident happened in a secure area at police headquarters and nobody else was injured.

It is being investigated by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC).

A Wiltshire Police spokesman said: "A firearms officer sustained a gunshot wound to his hand believed to be as a result of the unintentional discharge of his weapon during a cleaning process at the end of his tour of duty.

"No-one else was injured as a result of this incident.

"This incident occurred within a sterile safety area on police premises and no members of the public were endangered at any time.

"This incident has been referred to the IPCC, which is mandatory with all incidents of this nature and an investigation has commenced."