People will literally be able to "shop" criminals when a town- centre supermarket is transformed into a cop shop in a pioneering new scheme.

Shipley folk will be able to add crime prevention, safety issues and questions about the force to their shopping lists when they visit Asda in Manor Lane.

Town-centre beat manager PC Brian Watson will be on hand every four weeks to offer help and advice to shoppers in the first initiative of its kind at an Asda store anywhere in the country.

"I got the idea from well-known policing methods in America," he said. "Almost all large stores hold these surgeries over there.

"It's a better way of getting people involved with our work.

"Not everybody wants to go to the police station and Asda is a focal point in terms of the sheer number of people who attend."

The bobby, who has been working in Shipley for a couple of months, wants to make himself more accessible to the community.

He plans to make Asda the first of other police drop-in centres, including one in the town's library.

"I intend to spend as little time as possible at the police station and as much as possible out on the streets. People can come to me with anything and everything," he said.

He is also hoping that his presence will act as a deterrent to would-be thieves.

Inspector Nigel Cawthorne, of Shipley Police, said: "It was well thought out and very innovative of him. It's a great example of working with other businesses to further all our ends. As far as I'm aware it's the first scheme of its kind held in a West Yorkshire supermarket.

"It's somewhere we can be high profile and meet a lot of the public without putting them out."

The first surgery will take place on Saturday from 1pm to 3pm and every fourth Saturday after that from 9am to 12pm.

Simon Shaw, Asda Shipley manager, said: "This is the first time Asda Shipley has held anything like this.

"It's all about trying to be a major part of the local community and any way we can do this we will.

"Certainly the local police officer thinks it's a good way to build relationships with members of the community and the store."

An Asda head office spokesman said: "It is the first time we have held anything like this in any of our stores across the country.

"We are looking forward to it being a success."

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