TRANSLATION packs are being handed to Plymouth businesses to help staff deal with foreigners who do not speak English.

Plymouth Against Retail Crime (Parc) is issuing about 40 packs to large stores, with some going to police patrol cars used around the city centre too.

The packs contain 13 cards, each carrying phrases in a foreign language, and their English translation.

These can be used in situations where a foreigner needs help or is suspected of a crime in a store.

Among the 13 languages featured are Turkish, Spanish, Russian, Italian, French and Iranian.

One side of each card contains phrases useful for store staff, the other for police officers.

They contain the translations of phrases such as: 'I am a police officer' and 'Do you want anyone informed?'.

"It's geared at anyone that is stopped in a shop and needs a translator," said Paul Martin, Plymouth's business crime manager.

"It is to help the shops and the police save time and money.

"They will go to the big shops throughout Plymouth. The majority will go to the city centre."

He said stores receiving them will include Debenhams, Dingles, Marks & Spencer, plus the Drake Circus mall, supermarkets such as Asda, chains such as B&Q, and a set will be passed to Steve Johnson, manager of Plymstock Broadway.

Mr Martin said he got the idea for the packs after seeing them in use in another city.

Sergeant Steve Langman has seen the cards in use and said: "They contain useful phrases and are a handy size. We will put them in police cars."

He stressed the packs are not just for use with offenders, but when someone needs help too.

"Plymouth is a popular place for people to come to from all over the world," he said.

He said the police already have use of a language line, which officers can ring to access a translator who can translate over the phone.

The cards can also be used by plain-clothes officers.

Sergeant Langman stressed that retail crime and anti-social behaviour have been reduced in Plymouth.

"Plymouth is a much safer place," he said.

Earlier this month Parc received £40,000 from the Home Office to buy 80 radios to add to its Storenet network covering the city centre, Devonport and Stoke.

Mr Martin stressed that initiatives such as this, and the translation packs, were designed to "maintain standards".

He said Parc had grown, during the past nine years, to more than 600 members.

Clint Jones, Plymouth's city centre manager, welcomed the use of the translation packs and said: "Anything that makes crime prevention easier for retailers will be supported.

"We continue to support Parc in its approach to reducing retail crime."