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Police in a German town are heading to McDonald's to collect fast food for people in their custody cells after a catering contract fell through.

Those being held at the police station in Bergisch-Gladbach near Cologne can choose between a hamburger, cheeseburger or veggie burger from the fast food chain, which has an outlet across the road, . There's also a "McToast" breakfast option for those waking up after a night in the cells. The more substantial burgers are off-limits, according to Express, as they're too pricey for the police budget.

The force says it's an interim solution which became necessary when its normal supplier - which also served the local hospital - abruptly ended the contract. "When we take people into custody, we need to ensure a basic supply of food as a police force," says officer Richard Barz.

They had to find somewhere that could serve up a snack at all hours and every day of the week. "The location and the round-the-clock availability made us decide in favour of McDonald's," he tells the .

Last year, 642 people spent time in the station's custody cells, and about 300 meals were served, the paper says. The the burger service as a one-off "emergency" measure, and it's optimistic that a new agreement can be made with the hospital's food supplier.

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