Professions cleared by senior officers within Tayside Police and Tayside Fire and Rescue also include gardening, selling blinds and working as a supply teacher in schools.

Bosses have stressed, however, there are safeguards in place to ensure that additional work does not impact on their primary role of serving the public.

Figures obtained under Freedom of Information show there are currently 57 firefighters, crew and watch managers with authorisation for second jobs from Tayside Fire and Rescue, 40 of them based in Dundee. That figure includes personnel who act as retained firefighters at rural stations throughout the area.

It has also emerged that one Dundee firefighter obtained permission last month to work as an art school model. Another is a workshop co-ordinator for historical re-enactments.

Permission for secondary work has to be sought from Chief Fire Officer Steven Hunter, and the service confirmed that no applications have been rejected in the last three years.

Their policy states, “Employment with Tayside Fire and Rescue Board takes precedence over any other employment. If it is felt that secondary employment is having a negative effect, permission will be withdrawn.”

Working Time Regulations allow workers to opt-out of the 48-hours-per-week maximum, but set an absolute maximum of 76 hours during a seven-day period.

Tayside Police policy states that both officers and support staff wishing to undertake additional work have to seek permission from Chief Constable John Vine.

“This restriction on the working lives of police officers and support staff is not designed to be especially onerous or restrictive,” stated the force. “It is there to safeguard both Tayside Police and staff from conflict of interests and to ensure that staff are performing their roles without unnecessary fatigue.”

Officers are not allowed to work for, or operate a business, where the force has obligations to effect enforcement, such as licensed premises, and there are rules against remuneration which would lead to acts in conflict with the public interest.

The figures show there are currently 29 officers authorised to take on secondary employment, the bulk of them constables but including one inspector.

Trades listed include wedding photographer, teacher, deputy chief executive, craft demonstration, body piercing and “aquatic environmental work”.

The force also confirmed “one Tayside Police officer has had a request for permission to take up secondary employment rejected” during the past three years.