never been used on mainland Britain, The Royal Gazette has learned.

They have only been used by the British Army and Royal Ulster Constabulary in the troubled province of Northern Ireland, which has been riven with paramilitary violence.

British Police forces are issued with smaller plastic bullets, but no force has ever fired these on the mainland.

Bermuda Police issued a statement yesterday saying officers on the Island are entitled to carry and use rubber bullets.

Police are holding an internal inquiry after Sandys man Stephen Proctor was shot three times with rubber bullets after a stand-off on the roof of his house in January after he allegedly threatened to kill police officers.

It was the first time Police in Bermuda have ever fired rubber bullets.

A spokesman for the Home Office in London told The Royal Gazette : "The British Police use a plastic cylinder material which is fired from a baton gun.

"It is available for public order problems but has only ever been used in Northern Ireland so far.'' A spokesman for the Association of Chief Police Officers, representing chief constables of all forces in England and Wales, said it could not conceive of circumstances when its officers would use plastic bullets.

An ACPO spokesman said: "Plastic baton rounds have never been used on mainland Britain to my knowledge and I find it very difficult to envisage circumstances in which they might be used.

"We are looking at options for non-lethal weapons somewhere between CS spray and firearms which might be available.

"The fact that we are looking at other options indicates the plastic baton rounds are not a favoured feature and don't feature as a practical device.'' Yesterday's Bermuda Police statement said: "The Bermuda Police Service is authorised under the Firearms Act to possess, carry and use a range of firearms and ammunition, capable of both lethal and non-lethal force.

"Rubber bullets are one form of non-lethal weaponry utilised by the Bermuda Police Service.

"Police Services in other jurisdictions use various other non-lethal means such as pepper spray, stun guns and net-firing weapons.

"All Emergency Response Team officers receive instruction and training both locally and overseas. The Service also has three highly trained tactical advisors who provide the analysis and options at incidents involving the deployment of the ERT.

"Only ERT members are issued with certain weapons, and perform under operational guidelines outlined in the Police Manual of Guidance.''