Criminals could be in for a nasty shock now that Forest police are carrying Tasers.

The first officers to be trained in using the device will be going out on the beat this week and will be called out to any incident in the Dean where an officer or civilian is in danger from violence.

Tasers can deliver a 50,000 volt shock to a person standing up to 20ft away once two barbed spikes, both around an inch deep, are fired into their clothing or skin. The person at the receiving end loses control of their muscles and collapses to the ground immediately.

For more on this story, get a digital edition of this week's paper, available from this website.