BAIL dodgers are giving themselves up to the police after a warning that they could be jailed for failing to turn up at court.

Police said on Monday that the hunt was to be stepped up for those with arrest warrants against them for skipping court appearances.

They warned that they would begin arresting offenders at home or at work.

Police said they had been stunned by the response.

A total of 24 people have so far surrendered to police. They were wanted for a range of crimes - from minor driving offences to violent assaults.

But nearly 700 people in Bolton still have outstanding warrants against them and police say they will start making arrests at homes and workplaces.

PC Dave Feehan, of Bolton Police, said: "We are delighted with the number of people who are surrendering to their warrant, but we want to repeat the warning that anyone who hasnt yet handed themselves in faces being arrested by officers next week.

"People have a matter of days left before we start knocking on their doors.

"They can avoid the embarrassment and inconvenience by turning themselves in.

"This operation will remind both defendants and the law-abiding public that those who skip bail will not get away with it."

Nationally, nearly one in eight people who have been given bail fail to turn up in court.

In Greater Manchester, police have tracked down 95 per cent of those who skipped court, but there are still 6,000 outstanding warrants in the area .