AN official at a crucial Premiership match was a police officer on sick leave, The Northern Echo can reveal today.

Sergeant Nigel Miller has not reported for duty at his police station in Bishop Auckland, County Durham, since last month and is understood to be suffering from stress.

But he turned out - with the approval of his force - as one of two referee's assistants in front of a 40,000 crowd at Elland Road, Leeds, on Saturday for the club's game with Manchester United. Leeds won the incident-packed match 1-0.

Sgt Miller's bosses at Durham Police say he acted with his doctor's blessing and is due back at work soon.

But his actions were criticised in Bishop Auckland, where councillors have complained that police are overstretched.

Sgt Miller joined the custody section at Bishop Auckland police station after transferring from Durham Police's elite firearms squad where he trained other officers.

In 1995, he was hailed a hero for his part in rescuing two women from a freezing River Wear at Durham, where they were floundering in 15ft deep water.

Last year, soon after he was appointed to the Premiership's roll of assistant referees, he officiated at a prestigious international Under-16 tournament in Durham. He has a reputation for being one of the fittest officials in the sport.

His bosses refused to say why he was off work yesterday, but pointed out that he had a medical certificate from his GP and had been examined by a force doctor.

A Durham Police spokesman said: "We are not prepared to discuss the reasons for this officer's continued absence save to say he has a medical certificate from his own GP saying he is unfit for work.

"The officer has been seen by our own occupational health physician and medical opinion suggests the exercise associated with his footballing interests would in fact be therapeutic and help aid his recovery.

"We expect him back at work very shortly."