In an excerpt of his autobiography published in the Daily Mail, former police chief Brian Paddick has spoken publicly about his homosexuality and the difficulties of coming out to his family including his wife.

Paddick wrote of the difficulty of coming out to his mother. “After breaking up with my first fiancée, I went home to see Mother. She could see I was very upset.

“Whatever's the matter?” she asked. I placed Jenny's engagement ring on the table - the one she had thrown at me when I told her the relationship wasn't working.

“Oh, thank God for that,” Mum said. “I thought you were going to tell me you were queer.” Needless to say this set things back in terms of coming out to her...”

The ex-chief revealed in great difficulties discovering his homosexuality as a child and his attempt to conceal it. Paddick also spoke of the difficulties and emotional toll of coming out to his soul mate and former wife Mary Stone and his family, as well as the local police force knowing of his sexuality.

Paddick’s autobiography Line Of Fire will be released in the United Kingdom on 25 March.