Man and Woman arrested. Eastbank Square in Southport

Officers from Merseyside Police arrested a man and a woman today on the corner of Lord Street and Eastbank Square. They were both searched, handcuffed and placed in separate police cars. A witness at the scene said the couple had almost certainly been shoplifting.

Officers then systematically went through the couple's bags, revealing many items of what appeared to be new clothing in a large Matalan carrier bag.

Eventually, two police vans turned up taking the couple separately to a local police station.