Police took shoppers back in time by dressing as characters from the 1980s to celebrate a drop in crime.

Detectives from Thames Valley Police donned crocodile shoes, leather jackets and fake moustaches to tell shoppers crime in Oxford was at its lowest level since 1989.

Four officers embraced the theme of the BBC1 show Ashes to Ashes, a police drama set in the 1980s, to give members of the public tips on how to protect themselves and their property from crime.

The group, who volunteered to give up their time for the event at the Westgate Centre in Oxford on Saturday, posed alongside a red 1980s Audi Quattro, supplied by a local member of the Audi Quattro Owners' Club.

Crime reduction officer Graham Milne helped postcode-mark property such as mobile phones.

Oxfordshire commander Chief Supt Shaun Morley said: "This is just to do something different, a bit of fun, but really just to get some publicity and convince people that crime is coming down."

Police released figures last week showing crime had fallen by almost 10 per cent over 12 months, with record low rates for burglary and car crime.