AN investigation has been launched after a complaint from a businessman who photographed a group of uniformed officers apparently tucking into a hearty breakfast at a roadside cafe.

The businessman - himself a former policeman - became angry after watching the munching officers who had arrived in five police vehicles and spent 15 minutes at the cafe.

Senior officers at Cleveland Police are now trying to identify at least seven male and female officers captured by the businessman on his digital camera.

The pictures have been passed to the district commander, Chief Superintendent Mark Braithwaite, who said he was keen to identify the officers who were involved.

The gathering represents almost half of the district's mobile police presence - at any given time about four vans and up to eight cars are on patrol.

The five vehicles, including Ford Focus patrol cars, arrived at the roadside cafe in Metcalfe Road, on Middlesbrough's Skippers Lane industrial estate, just after 8am last Friday.

The businessman, who was in the area in connection with his work, was so concerned at what he saw that he got out his digital camera to record the scene.

The man, who does not want to be named, said: "Obviously, there was a pre-planned get-together for breakfast made prior to their departure from the police station.

"When you estimate the cost of five police cars and equipment, plus the wages of the eight or ten officers, I don't think Cleveland council tax payers would be amused.

"The sort of actions taken by these officers can ruin all those years of hard and worthwhile work in an instant."

Chief Supt Braithwaite said: "Until I have identified the officers and ascertained exactly why they were there and what they were doing, it would be inappropriate for me to make any further comment at this stage, other than that I have commissioned an investigation into the matter."