A photographer from the MK News was handcuffed and arrested after trying to take a picture of a road traffic accident.

Andy Handley, staff photographer at the Milton Keynes-based weekly, was then taken to a police station, photographed, fingerprinted, DNA tested and held in Central Milton Keynes Police cells before being interviewed.

Despite Andy, a photographer with 30 years experience, standing behind a police cordon to take his pictures, he was confronted by road traffic police sergeant Fraser Chamberlain after attending the scene of a crash just before 5.30pm on Tuesday, September 12.

When Andy (pictured) said he was perfectly within his rights to take a picture, Sgt Chamberlain said he would be arrested at the scene unless he handed over his camera equipment.

Andy refused and was handcuffed and arrested.

He was later released at 1.15am after being cautioned for obstruction.

A spokesman for Milton Keynes Police said: "An officer from the road traffic department has apologised to MK News."

Andy said: "As the officer walked over to me and my reporter I thought he was going to say that we could get a bit closer for a different angle and when he asked for the camera I thought he was joking.

"There was this farcical 'stand off' in which time I tried to explain that I was within my rights to take pictures in a public place and he insisted, as he was the officer in charge, he had the right to seize equipment as it was a crime scene.

"In the end he just handcuffed me, in the back cuff position, and marched me away. Three extra officers were called in to take me to the police station and I was kept handcuffed for over an hour and a quarter."

He added: "In my 30 years in journalism I have covered a lot of different jobs and never been treated in such a way and would hope that I will never again."

Editor David Gale said: "When I spoke to the sergeant's inspector the next day he was very apologetic and it was clear to me that the police had realised they had made a serious misjudgment.

"However, the fact remains that a member of my staff was stopped from performing his duties and was then ironically arrested for obstructing a police officer.

"As editor I am well aware of the police forces' role at road traffic accidents. I am also aware, as are my staff, of the sensitivities surrounding such incidents.

"It is the responsibility of a newspaper editor to make judgement calls on whether legally or morally we can publish pictures, not that of a road traffic police sergeant.

"I believe this entire incident could and should have been sorted out amicably at the scene. It saddens me that the officer in question felt it necessary to take such extreme action.

"I have written to the chief constable expressing my concerns on the matter and asked for an explanation and assurances this kind of thing will not happen in the future."

The incident happened just hours before the paper's deadline and editor David was forced to get another photographer from the group to cover for Andy, who did not have his camera returned until later the following day.

David said: "Thankfully we were on top of our game and Andy didn't have pictures from a series of live stories stored on the camera.

"We had cleared the decks and it was the last live job, otherwise things would have been a lot worse."