At least 55 police cars in Scotland are fitted with an engine that risks burning into flames when driven at high speeds, a freedom of information request has found.

Police Constable Nick Dumphreys was killed when his BMW caught fire on the M6 near Carlisle in 2020, with English police forces subsequently banning officers from driving more than 90mph if their patrol car is fitted with a similar engine.

A freedom of information request by the Scottish Conservatives revealed that 55 marked police vehicles in Scotland have the at-risk three-litre N57 engine, while Police Scotland refused to say how many unmarked cars may also be compromised.

The party’s justice spokesman, Jamie Greene, said it was “simply unacceptable” that officers were still driving the potentially dangerous vehicles and said real-terms cuts to police capital funding in the Scottish Government’s budget was insufficient to maintain the fleet of cars.

Mr Greene said: “It is deeply concerning to learn that so many Police Scotland vehicles are fitted with these potentially dangerous engines.

“If these vehicles are unsafe when driven at high speed then they are clearly not fit for purpose – and I’m appalled that officers are still being expected to use them.

“We’ve known for some time that chronic under-funding from the SNP has left Police Scotland with an ageing, inadequate fleet, but this is simply unacceptable.

“This underfunding has also led to one in 20 police officers being lost from Scotland’s streets since the SNP centralised the police force.

“The Scottish Conservatives called for a £36.5 million package of extra capital support for Police Scotland in the Budget, but Kate Forbes ignored us and cut it. She, and the SNP, must belatedly see sense.”