Ray Mallon has pledged to rid Middlesbrough of street beggars

The former Cleveland Police detective said the number of people begging had been cut from 24 to just four in the year since he became mayor.

At a briefing to discuss the Middlesbrough's successful crime-reduction techniques, Mr Mallon - who earned the nickname Robocop during his time in the police - promised the reduce the figure even further over the coming year.

He said: "There are only four now, and in the next 12 months there won't be any.

"Our beggars are not homeless, they are criminals who affect retail in the town and affect the economy by putting people off coming here.

Safe place

"The police can assist in targeting beggars and that is an example of how business can actually be enhanced by police action."

Mr Mallon was joined at the briefing by Cleveland Police district commander Dave Lumb and Home Office crime reduction director Alan Clark.

Mr Clark told how Middlesbrough had now become one of the safest places in England and Wales with a fall in overall recorded crime of 3.7% and a 22% drop in house burglaries.

Mr Mallon's tough stance on street beggars has come in for criticism in the past.

In October 2002 the charity Barnardo's said Mr Mallon was being too hard on people who were often victims themselves.