A new hub has opened in Bolton town centre to help those sleeping rough as part of an operation to crackdown on begging in the town centre - and ensure those who are genuinely in need of help are supported.

Operation Shelter has been running in Bolton town centre for more than a month.

It has resulted in a number of arrests and banning orders - with police saying a number of people caught begging are known to them and with others having been offered support.

As part of the operation, officers are working with other agencies to ensure those genuinely at risk do get the help they need.

And already half-a-dozen people have been helped - with one arrest made.

The new unit allows people to drop-in and speak to a nurse in confidence.

Bolton town centre begging - shoppers urged not to part with cash

Bolton police launch Operation Shelter in 'begging' crackdown

Sgt Dan Richards said: "Operation Shelter is evolving and this week we have recruited the help of our colleagues in the NHS, Bolton Council civil enforcement team and outreach workers.

"We have secured the use of a unit within the town centre where people can drop in and speak to the nurse in confidence over a brew and have any ongoing medical issues examined. The outreach workers can then offer them advice and support to help break the cycle they may find themselves in.

"We engaged with eight individuals who we believed may fit into the criteria of homeless and or begging with one arrest being made, the others were offered the services detailed above. This initiative is continuing throughout the week and you will see Officers and PCSO's patrolling the town centre with our partners."

Urban Outreach CEO Dave Bagley, who has worked to support homeless people for many years, said: “They’re exceptional there in that they’re not appointment based, they’re about all about allowing people to drop in and they’re linked to hostels all over the place.

“It’s really that constant thing where they’re encouraging people to get the help that’s there for them.”

But Mr Bagley added that the scale of the cost-of-living crisis meant that tackling homelessness and poverty is likely to still be a challenge even when people are found homes.

He said: “We’re in such a tricky position, as soon as we give someone somewhere to live, they can’t afford to keep it!”

He added: “Living on the streets is a cheap life, its not a good life, but it’s a cheap one.”

Bolton Council’s Executive Cabinet Member for Stronger Communities, Cllr Mudasir Dean, said: “We know that aggressive begging in the town centre is a major concern for residents and local businesses.

“This is a top priority for Bolton Council and we are working with our partners to address this issue.

“The council is playing a central role in Operation Shelter, working to prevent aggressive begging and ensure the individuals involved are provided with appropriate support.

“The operation includes officers from our Enforcement Team, The Rough Sleeper Drug and Alcohol Teams, Housing Options and Advice Team, Clinical Nurses from the Homeless and Vulnerable Adults Team, among others.

“Other measures we have taken against aggressive begging include the introduction of a Public Spaces Protection Order and our Hope for Change initiative with local charities.”

Cllr Andy Morgan, cabinet member for Adult Social Care, said: "It's something that we as councillors get asked about a lot, particularly we've had cases of ladies feeling unsafe at crossings because of people begging there and we know that many of these people are not actually homeless."

He added: "At the end of the day people have got to want to engage."

A two-and-a-half-year study by Bolton Council released earlier this year found that begging was seven times more prevalent than any other civil enforcement issue in the borough, while officers had confronted beggars more than 3,500 times over that same period.