More than 100 shops in a market town are uniting in a bid to stop crime and anti-social behaviour. The national Shop Watch scheme is being trialled in Beccles and will link the town's shops directly to the police.

More than 100 shops in a market town are uniting in a bid to stop crime and anti-social behaviour.

The national Shop Watch scheme is being trialled in Beccles and will link the town's shops directly to the police.

When shop owners suspect someone of shoplifting, or have trouble with anti-social behaviour, they will be able to call police on a specific number.

The police will then forward details of the incident to a system called police direct, which then informs every other trader who is registered on the scheme.

The programme will be implemented at the beginning of August and almost all of the town's shops have already signed up.

Beccles police inspector Tim Powell said he would be delighted if the new system kept shoplifters out of town.