Police chiefs face a bleak choice between cutting services or hitting stretched families with council tax hikes - as a desperate plea is issued to Liz Truss.
A commissioner warned that soaring inflation and energy price rises mean more than 1% of his force's annual budget will be swallowed up by extra costs.
Dr Alan Billings, police and crime commissioner for South Yorkshire, shared a bleak outlook days before the government unveils its mini budget aimed at tackling the cost of living crisis.
