A VISIT from Donald Trump which led to sports clubs being kicked out of a gym so police officers could sleep there saw Essex Police shell out more than £1.86 million.

Figures released after the US President’s four-day trip to the UK in July showed the bill for policing as a whole was more than £14.2 million.

The Home Office reimbursed £7.9 million to cover the additional costs to the three forces in England that hosted Mr Trump - Essex Police, the Metropolitan Police and Thames Valley Police.

The Treasury was to refund Police Scotland for what has been described as a private visit.

The President flew into Stansted Airport on Air Force One alongside his wife and First Lady Melania.

Hundreds of officers from across the country were drafted in to deal with his arrival and they were initially housed at the Colchester Garrison gym.

But the National Police Chiefs Council criticised the standard of the accommodation saying it was not acceptable.

Conditions - police officers from across the UK slept in the Garrison gym Essex Police confirmed officers were moved out of the gym following the complaints.

It is believed they were sent to hotels across the eastern region instead.

The operation meant more than 30 community sports clubs were told their gym bookings were cancelled to make way for the officers to sleep.

Some were offered the chance to rearrange after the officers were moved out.

Most of the forces hosting the trip made payments to other forces to reimburse them for providing officers to the effort.

The leading forces then billed the Home Office for costs outside their normal operations, such as enlisting external officers and accommodating them, as well as overtime payments.

Deploying more than 1,000 officers, the British Transport Police also spent more than £200,350 during the visit.

A Home Office spokesman said: “We received applications from three forces for special grant totalling £7.9 million in relation to their additional costs arising from the US president’s visit.

“These claims have been paid in full.”

The President’s visit was hit by protests as he met the Queen at Windsor Castle, was hosted by Theresa May and played golf in Scotland.

He criticised the PM’s handling of Brexit and said a trade deal between the UK and US could be killed off if her plan went ahead.