FORGET about the thin blue line - Hampshire's policewomen are battling against thin white shirts.

Female officers have been concerned about the quality of new white blouses which are gradually being phased in as part of a new national police uniform.

Several women who tested the new shirts expressed concern about the transparency of the fabric - meaning they left little to the imagination of colleagues and members of the public.

Now Deputy Chief Constable Ian Readhead has given his reassurance that the new shirts will be up to scratch.

He told Hampshire Police Authority: "We are moving to white shirts for everybody. It will be one standard white shirt for both male and female officers.

"The national uniform has been challenged by female colleagues but the thickness of the material has now been approved."

It is understood the Force went back to the manufacturers with concerns about the transparent material and the necessary modifications have now been made.

The new white shirts also mean the end of an era for Hampshire's boys in blue.

For decades, the constabulary's male officers have proudly worn their distinctive blue shirts.

But now, as a sign of the times, Hampshire is joining other police forces in introducing a standard white issue to cut costs.

The move has been described as regrettable by Hampshire Police Federation, which represents the county's 3,600 rank and file officers.

Chairman Alan Gordon told the Daily Echo: "The force are committed to changing to white shirts because of the costs involved.

"It would be prohibitively expensive to keep on providing Hampshire with blue shirts.

"The traditional blue shirts are part of our heritage, but we have to accept this money could be spent on something other than providing the constabulary with coloured shirts."

Eventually all Hampshire's frontline officers will be kitted out with the new national uniform of a high-visibility yellow blouson jacket, black blouson jacket, black fleece, white shirts and black trousers.

But traditional police tunics will still be issued in Hampshire at £100 a time, with officers wearing them for Royal visits, funerals and other civic duties.