THE WELSH Liberal Democrats used a model to pose as a policeman in a picture with their leader in the party's manifesto, it was revealed today.

A photograph shows Kirsty Williams chatting with someone dressed as an officer on a page setting out the party's plans to cut crime.

The admission that he was a stand-in comes days after the Lib Dems confirmed a woman dressed as a nurse in an election leaflet works for the party.

The leaflet shows Cardiff North candidate John Dixon with a woman in a nurse's uniform who in fact works for Lib Dem AM Mick Bates.

A party spokesman said the nurse and policeman photographs were the only two in which models were used.

Mrs Williams's predecessor, former Welsh Lib Dem leader Mike German, said the photograph was meant to draw attention to the party's commitment to put 3,000 more officers on the beat in the UK and 148 more in Wales.

He told BBC Radio Wales's Good Morning Wales programme: "The photograph isn't a lie. The photograph is of someone dressed as a police officer.

"The point is all it's meant to do is to attract your eye to the text that's around it.’’ He said his party was under greater scrutiny because "we are a serious player for the top spot in politics in this General Election’’.