POLICE have stepped up patrols outside a cathedral on Sundays to deter beggars.

Notts Police has also introduced beat surgeries at St Barnabas Cathedral to keep vagrants at bay.

A special collection box for the homeless has also been installed for the congregation, to stop them handing out money directly, which would encourage beggars.

PC Ian Taylor, beat manager for the Park Estate, said people begging outside the cathedral in Derby Road had become a problem, particularly on Sundays.

To combat this, beat surgeries have started at the cathedral on Sundays. Uniform and plain-clothes patrols have also been increased to discourage people from begging.

"We've been pro-active arresting people, encouraging the congregation to make a decision on how they are going to give by having collection boxes in the cathedral, getting them not to give to an individual but to an outreach team," said PC Taylor.

"It's not just about prosecutions, its helping them and steering them away from this behaviour, engaging them with drug agencies and outreach teams.

"Some people look away, some feel sorry for them and think they are homeless without food and give them money.

"About four weeks ago a person at the church had been a victim of aggressive begging. They had gone back to their car and the person involved had followed them."

PC Taylor said ASBOs had helped reduce the number of people begging in the area.

But he said the police would continue to work to discourage people from begging, and were concentrating on getting Good Samaritans to give to charities, not individuals.

PC Taylor said he was also concerned about people sleeping rough in a tunnel behind Budgens, in Derby Road, which leads to the Park Estate.

"People who live in the Park Estate and work in the city, use that tunnel," he said.

"They have rung up saying they feel intimidated. There have been needles found there as well, which is a concern as St Joseph's School is not too far away.

"It's dangerous for the people themselves – they get involved in a cycle of a chaotic lifestyle."

PC Taylor said police were working with the council to clear up the area, and shelters like London Road and Boston Street were helping the homeless get housing.

Steve Rollin, neighbourhood watch manager for the Park said the area near the tunnel did need to be cleaned up.

"The current problem is it's a route used by primary school children," he said.

"Recently, a few syringe needles were found under the fire exits and human excrement was there.

"It's got to be kept clean and tidy for the school children."

claire.carter@nottinghameveningpost.co.uk