Persistent shoplifters are to be banned from stores in Bedford town centre in the run-up to Christmas.

Retailers joining up to the initiative will be supplied with photographs of individuals who have been excluded.

So far 44 shops have joined the scheme with new ones joining every week.

Any repeat offender who has been convicted of stealing from one of Bedford's shops will be served with an exclusion order.

The order will ban them from all the shops signed up to the scheme.

Shop staff will be allowed to use reasonable force to eject anyone in the "rogues' gallery".

The bans will start on 1 December.