"CHUGGERS", or "charity muggers", who try and get people to donate in the street, are facing an attempted crackdown by Bournemouth Tourism chiefs.

Groups of young people trying to sign up shoppers for donations have become an increasingly common sight in the town centre.

They are employed by private companies contracted to charities and workers try and charm and persuade passers-bye into giving money.

But repeated complaints from tourists, residents and businesses have led to an attempt to restrict how often they can come into town.

Town centre manager Roger Parker has written to the industry's association asking for the chugger' not be in one spot no more than four times a month. They have eight spots they can work across town but have almost exclusively targeted Old Christchurch Road and Bournemouth Square, said Mr Parker.

Mr Parker said "We were receiving repeated complaints about the degree of harassment people were experiencing."

He discovered chuggers are not covered by the charities act to collect in the street, but since they are not selling anything, they can't be stopped under street trading legislation.

He has written to the Public Fundraising Regulatory Association (PFRA) with his suggestion and is awaiting a reply so a formal agreement can be reached.

The deal would no be legally binding and would only apply to charities who are members of the PFRA. The PFRA was not available for comment.

The owner of Daisy O'Brien's pub in Old Christchurch Road, Mike Parker, said: "I get very frustrated by them. They hang about in hordes. They have changed their tactics.

"They used to be strung out about in town but they hang around like a pack of wolves and literally stop every single person.

"I just find it offensive. When I give to charity I give in my own time and way.

"We get a lot of comments from customers and staff and the two biggest things are the number of beggars and the number of chuggers."