A seaside town is paying train fares for homeless people to get them to return to their home towns.

Bournemouth has invested £200,000 in a new crackdown aimed at reducing vagrancy in the town centre, with businesses up in arms about levels of littering and antisocial behaviour.

As part of the scheme the cash is funding two new members of staff, one of whom is tasked with "encouraging" homeless people who aren't originally from Bournemouth to leave the area - including funding their journey.

The other member of staff is tasked with helping homeless people with a connection to the area get into accommodation.

Councillor Robert Lawton, cabinet member for housing, said it was a "difficult situation" as the authority does not have the power to force people to move on.

"We can't strong-arm people, we have to encourage them to move," he said. "We have no authority to manhandle people.