Police have arrested nine people as part of a crackdown against begging in the town.

Operation Shelter launched two weeks ago.

And police have revealed that nine people have been arrested in this time.

Some are awaiting a court appearance and others have been ordered not to return to specific areas.

Police said that support was available those that 'need or request it'.

Patrols confront Bolton's beggars more than 3,500 times in disorder crackdown

Bolton Council and Police Minister Kit Malthouse on begging in Bolton

A spokesman for GMP Bolton South said: "We held a meeting with colleagues from the council and other agencies about how we can help each other moving forward.

"We will continue to support those individuals that need or request it.

"An outreach organisation will now contact those that are not currently in treatment and see if they wish to engage.

"More information about Operation Shelter and our partnership working will be released in due course, in the meantime thank you for your continued support."

Earlier this year it was found that begging in the centre of Bolton was seven times as prevalent as any other issue.

Between April 2019 and August last year police encountered beggars on 771 occasions.

And 86 per cent of people surveyed by Bolton Council cited begging as an ongoing problem.

Police have recently identified the junction on Trinity Street as a problematic area.

One of the eight people arrested in the last fortnight was ordered not to enter this spot by a court.

Another was ordered not to go into Burnden Retail Park.

In 2019 Bolton Council launched a crackdown on aggressive begging and other anti-social behaviours in the town centre.

They brought in public space protection order (PSPOs) which allows authorities to issue fines of up to £100 for begging as well as on-street drinking.