Shoplifters are to be issued with on-the-spot fines to avoid criminal records.

The new measures will be introduced across south Essex, as part of government plans to save police time and hit offenders with a short sharp shock to the pocket.

The on-the-spot fines will apply to shoplifters caught stealing goods worth up to £200.

A Southend police spokesman said: "We welcome this as an option for dealing with minor cases of shoplifting, which will reduce the amount of police time taken to deal with offenders and allow officers to get back on the street."

He added the fines would be issued low level first-time offences and professional thieves and repeat offenders would still be brought before the courts.

Ann Holland, executive Southend councillor for environmental and public protection, was broadly in favour of the financial penalties.

However, she said: "I can see some difficulty for officers trying to collect the fines. They may end up having to take people to court anyway to get the money."