City police officers in Rome fined a priest because children under his watch were too noisy, but then paid the fine in a "private act of charity", a spokesman said Wednesday.

Officers were called to the Santa Maria Immacolata parish in the western Aurelio district on Monday evening, as neighbours complained about shouting and loud music from its playground.

After establishing that music had been played too loud, police had "no choice" but to levy a 300-euro ($360) fine against the parish priest, the local police spokesman told AFP.

However, officers from the Aurelio police station then decided to pass a hat among themselves to cover the cost, out of solidarity with the priest.

-They did it as private citizens, it had nothing to do with them being police officers, they did it because they knew the parish- the spokesman said.

The priest, Father Carmine Salvatore Cipolla, told the ANSA news agency he thought he was on a candid camera show when he was told about the fine.

-I could not believe that they were giving us a ticket just for letting children play- he said, declaring himself extremely grateful for the officers' gesture.

-A lot of good came out of a story that seemed negative. I am touched and speechless- Cipolla said, adding that the children's parents had also offered to chip in for the fine.