FIREFIGHTERS who were forced to stop work after being injured are being asked to pay back thousands of pounds in overpaid pension benefits.

Lancashire Fire Authority (LFA) has written to nearly 200 former firefighters to find out what state benefits they are receiving.

Those who receive a monthly injury pension from the LFA are not allowed to receive state incapacity benefit for the same injury, but the Data Protection Act means the authority is not allowed to find out what other benefits employees are getting.

An investigation has found that many ex-firefighters have been overpaid through receiving double benefits, with some now having to pay back up to £30,000 to the LFA.

Authority chairman Bob Wilkinson is calling for the a change in the law over data protection to avoid any future mistakes.

Mr Wilkinson, a firefighter for 29 years, said: "This is not just something in our authority, this system affects every fire and police authority in the country.

"None is allowed to contact the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to find out what benefits people are receiving. It's ridiculous."

The issue first arose six months ago when a firefighter contacted the authority to notify them about a change to his benefits.

Mr Wilkinson said that a former firefighter had been overpaid £30,000 but most of the overpayments were between £800 and £1,500.

In one case the authority owed a firefighter £22,000.

FBU officer Steve Harman said the union was acting on behalf of 12 "extemely upset and angry" members.

He added: "The authority haven't got a robust system for administering pension payments, and they've just realised that and are trying to recoup large sums of money."