The levels of investment held by Lincolnshire councils in some of the world's largest arms companies has been branded "shocking" by a leading campaign group.

New figures released to the Echo under the Freedom of Information Act show the Lincolnshire County Council Local Government Pension scheme has almost £13.4 million invested in 13 major players in the global arms trade.

The fund represents almost 50,000 staff and former employees from county, district and parish councils, as well as other public bodies from around the county.

Kaye Stearman, a spokesman for Campaign Against Arms Trade, condemned the investment.

"It is shocking that Lincolnshire has investments in some of the world's largest arms producers, and this at a time when ethical investment has never been more important," she said.

"Are the people of Lincolnshire, including the beneficiaries of the pension fund, really happy to have their savings invested in such companies?

"We hope that they will tell the council in no uncertain terms to get rid of these tainted investments."

Amongst the weapons manufactured by the companies are the F-16 fighter planes used to bomb the Gaza strip, Trident nuclear weapons and cluster bombs recently outlawed under the international convention on cluster munitions.

David Forbes, assistant director for finance and asset management for the county council, said: "There exists a whole raft of issues on which some people may have strong views and wish their fund not to invest in - for example, the environment, oppressive regimes, obesity, child labour and alcohol.

"Where is the line to be drawn?"

For more on Lincolnshire councils' investments in arms companies, see Tuesday's Echo.