Ahmed Anwari used a red pen to manually alter his lateral flow test result before sending a photograph to Lancashire Constabulary.

Police bosses were unconvinced and asked Mr Anwari to take a second test while on a video call, which he again falsely portrayed as positive.

He was ultimately confronted by his superiors and admitted faking the result to secure time off. He resigned from the force a day later.

Misconduct proceedings yesterday concluded that Mr Anwari’s conduct amounted to gross misconduct and a breach of the standards of professional behaviour of honesty and integrity and discreditable conduct.

“I find that had Mr Anwari still been a member of Lancashire Constabulary he would have been dismissed,” the officer chairing the proceedings said.