A policeman, along with two other men, has been arrested over a hoax kidnap plot - in which they are alleged to have called a police department and claimed an officer would be kidnapped.

The hoax call was made last December to the West Midlands police force in the UK.

The call was taken seriously by the force which tightened security and called officers in for special overnight briefings.

e threat was judged to be credible at a time when the national threat level was severe.

Police were called in for special overnight briefings and advised not to come to work or go off shift in uniform.

Sky News reports that an investigation by officers from West Midland Police's Anti-Corruption Unit - and the region's Counter Terrorism Unit - found the claim was "false and malicious".

PC Amar Hussain, 29, has been charged with two counts of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice and two counts of conspiracy to commit misconduct in a public office.

He has been suspended from duty.

He is due to appear in court along with the two other men - all of whom are from Birmingham - next month.

A 31-year-old man arrested on the day of the alert was eliminated from inquiries and has since been deported.