An investigation into allegations Cheshire East Council manipulated air quality data has been launched by police.

The council confirmed the allegations had been referred to Cheshire Constabulary to ‘address these concerns thoroughly and transparently'.

Cheshire East has also referred to the police concerns about allocation of public funds in making a grant to Berkeley Academy and worries about land purchases.

Council leader Rachel Bailey said: ‘It is vital that these serious matters are dealt with fully and that if there has been any wrongdoing it is exposed.

‘While a police investigation is a serious matter I would like to reassure residents that the council itself has brought these matters forward in order to put things right.

‘As these matters are now subject to criminal investigation, we are unable to give more information at this time.'

The council apologised last month after admitting its air quality figures had been deliberately tampered with for two years.

In a previous statement, the local authority said ‘deliberate and systematic manipulation' of the data from its air quality monitoring stations around the country took place between 2012 and 2014.