Changes to police bail could mean an end to hundreds of West Yorkshire residents who have been left in limbo whilst police investigate crimes.

Following Home Office guidelines which came into force this month bail conditions will have to be lifted after 28 days against suspects who have not been charged.

It marks the most radical shake-up of pre-charge police bail in generations.

Until now forces have not been bound by any cap on how long someone can be bailed for.

Home Secretary Amber Rudd said: “Pre-charge bail is a useful and necessary tool but in many cases it is being imposed on people for many months, or even years, without any judicial oversight – and that cannot be right.”

According to a report by West Yorkshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner, since 2013 the force has “continued to actively monitor bail” and has seen a fall of 32% in the number of suspects kept on pre-charge bail for 180 days. In the same period the overall number of people on bail has fallen by 18%, from 3,734 in May 2013 to 3,073 by March 29 last year.

The authority of an Inspector or above will now be required to grant pre-charge bail up to 28 days with further extensions requiring higher levels of authority.