STREET beggars in Worcester are dressing down so they can pretend to be homeless and get cash to buy drink and drugs, say police.

Officers from West Mercia Police’s Cathedral Safer Neighbourhood Team conducted an operation in Worcester city centre on Saturday.

Sgt Carl Jones said the city was experiencing high levels of begging, with some of the more persistent beggars sitting at cashpoints, particularly around the Cross but also busy thoroughfares such as New Street and Friar Street.

And he believes that some beggars are deliberately dressing down to appear homeless and attract sympathy so they receive money.

Sgt Jones said: "Worcester has rough sleepers, but they were not involved in this offending.

“It is our belief that some of this group dress down and use rucksacks, sleeping bags to give an impression of being homeless.

“We understand the compassionate motive behind the giving of alms. Invariably this money is spent on alcohol or drugs, thus increasing anti- social behaviour in the city centre.

“A better way to support homelessness would be to donate to either St Paul’s Hostel or Maggs Day Centre, or Swanswell – excellent local charities who support the homeless and aim to get them into safe accommodation, and away from substance abuse.”

He added: “As a result of our activity [on Saturday] six individuals will be going to court for the offence. None of the persons caught and dealt with that night was actually homeless.

Jonathan Sutton, chief executive of St Paul's Hostel, in Worcester, said: "This is a really important issue because the public often conflate homelessness, rough sleeping and street begging into the same thing and they're clearly not.

"We're seeing increasing numbers of people on the street so this is timely. We should not demonise rough sleeping and homelessness but the public needs to understand they often conflate homelessness and street begging."

Mr Sutton said one of the solutions may be an alternative giving scheme, where people can donate to charities which support homeless people via text.

He said the homelessness forum, when agreed and established, would help address issues connected to rough sleeping and homelessness coherently and in a more integrated way.