A West Yorkshire Police officer is to face a misconduct hearing over an allegation that he sent “inappropriate” messages to a 14-year-old girl.

PC Ian Bell is alleged to have sent the girl messages via messaging app Snapchat after attending a children’s home in July last year following a report of a missing person.

It is alleged that the following day PC Bell sent “a number of inappropriate and unprofessional messages” to the teenager.

Details of next week’s two-day misconduct hearing have been posted on the Force website.

The Force said PC Bell will attend the misconduct hearing on July 30-31 in relation to “breaching the standards of professional behaviour.”

It added: “On 19/07/2017, PC Bell attended at a children’s home following a report of a missing person.

“Whist at the address PC Bell spoke with a 14-year-old female resident.

“It is alleged that on 20/07/2017, the officer sent the female resident a number of inappropriate and unprofessional messages via Snapchat having obtained her details the previous day.

“It is further alleged that at the end of the communications, the officer asked the female resident to delete the messages between them.”

It is understood that PC Bell is based in the Wakefield district.