Eight more Bury police officers have been suspended as a report of racial discrimination is investigated.

Today (Monday, July 29), Greater Manchester Police (GMP) has announced it has suspended eight officers, and restricted the duties of one officer, following a report of racial discrimination.

Seven of the suspended officers are from the Bury district, and one is from Rochdale, who was working in Bury at the time of the allegations.

This follows the force suspending five other officers and placing two officers on restricted duties, all from the Bury district, on July 17.

This brings the total of officers suspended to 13 with a further three on restricted duties.

Officers have been temporarily relocated to Bury, to cover operational duties and minimise disruption within the district.

GMP made a mandatory referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) in relation to both of these cases. The IOPC is investigating the first report and has reviewed and referred the second incident back to GMP to investigate.

In a statement issued earlier this month, the IOPC said that it “will investigate allegations that these officers openly engaged in conversations and either used, or failed to challenge, offensive language".

Head of GMP’s professional standards directorate detective chief superintendent Mike Allen said: “The reports we have received are deeply concerning and I hope to reassure the community of Bury, the wider public, and the GMP workforce that a full and thorough investigation is being conducted into these matters.”

The announcement of the claims comes after the release of a damning report about how GMP treats women in custody by Dame Vera Baird, the former victims’ commissioner for England and Wales.

The report was prompted after three separate women accused GMP of unjustified strip searches after being arrested.

It found a "problematic culture" at GMP led to officers using the strip-searching of multiple women as "a weapon of control".

Chief Constable Stephen Watson apologised for the findings, and said the force would fully implement the recommendations from Dame Vera.