Force considers urinating device for women

A police force is considering introducing "Shewees" to help women officers respond to calls of nature while on patrol.

Cambridgeshire police said trials of the £7.50 portable urinating devices - available in five colours - found there was "not a great need for them".

But in a Freedom of Information response, the force said the introduction of the plastic funnels was "still under consideration".

Samantha Fountain, 33, failed to secure investment when she presented her design on the 2005 series of BBC's Dragons' Den.

But it has since gained widespread popularity among festival goers, pregnant women and hikers.

It allows women to urinate while standing up without removing any clothing.

A spokeswoman for the company, based in Surrey, said Cambridgeshire police was one of the first forces to trial the product.

If purchased for each of its 380 women officers, the cost to the public purse would be nearly £3,000.

A Cambridgeshire police spokeswoman declined to comment on the trial.

Fiona McEvoy, of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: "Many women do jobs that require them to be out and about and they've always managed without special equipment - Cambridgeshire Police are just creating a problem that doesn't exist."