Oxford provides a level of service for homeless people far exceeding that offered by other cities, according to the city's rough sleeper's unit officer, Stephen Merauld.

While that may be good for the rough sleepers, it also means homeless people travel to Oxford, increasing their numbers and putting pressure on the city's services.

"People travel the country and end up back here," Mr Merauld said. "Word-of-mouth gets around about how good it is for the homeless so they come here.

"We pull them here because we have good facilities. We have a specialist medical centre for the homeless - that's rare outside London.

Plans to develop Luther Street Night Shelter into a wet centre may help reduce begging on Oxford's streets

Chief Supt David McWhirter, leader of the new Street Culture Task Force, said police were prepared to respond, when needed.

"I don't want to sound too soft - there are people ripping off the people of Oxford. Some have homes to go to after begging," he said.

Mr Merauld, however, blamed other towns and cities for Oxford's high number of rough sleepers. He claimed some councils do not take the problem seriously and recommend that rough sleepers make the trip to Oxford.

Reading Borough Council's lead councillor for housing, Mike Orton, confirmed that, if all possibilities have been exhausted, "we may recommend the Oxford Night Shelter, but only as a last resort."

Swindon Town Council rejected the suggestion it had failed to acknowledge the problem and said people were rarely sent to Oxford.

On the streets, Graham Butcher, 38, who sells The Big Issue in Oxford's Cornmarket, agreed that some rough sleepers were not genuine.

"Half the people selling The Big Issue have a home. Some even have cars. They sell to finance their habits.

"The Luther Street medical centre is pukka. A lot of people owe their lives to Dr Reynolds there. But that's not enough to make you stay."

Paul, a 30-year-old rough sleeper, ended up in Oxford because he had hitched a lift from Birmingham, after losing his business and finding it tough on the streets there.

He said: "I stayed because I have friends here. Most are on the streets. I've been all over England, Spain, France and Germany. It's not easy in Oxford, but places like London are too rough."

Oxford has several organisations working with the homeless: Luther Street Night Shelter, Simon House hostel, with 55 beds for recovering drug addicts or alcoholics, The Bridge project for under 25s, Steppin' Stone Drop-in Centre for people re-building their lives after living on the streets.

Under a new pilot scheme, the Luther Street Night Shelter plans to operate as a wet centre within the next two months, allowing drinkers to consume alcohol on the premises.

City councillor Val Smith, a trustee of the night shelter, said plans to introduce a wet centre were hand-in-hand with efforts to remove anti-social behaviour from the city centre.

She said: "The police can arrest drunks, hold them for so long and then let them out again. They are out on the streets, they are still drunk and they are still begging.

"The only way to solve that is to have a wet centre.

"People who sit there placidly begging, although it's very upsetting, it's not the same as being drunk and lurching all over the place because that really does frighten people. We have really got to come up with a solution."

Paddy O'Hanlon, director of the night shelter, said funding of £15,000 to £16,000 needed to be secured before the night shelter could become "wet", and that should take six to eight weeks.

Between 65 and 75 people come through the door of the night shelter every day.

What do you think? The Oxford Mail and This is Oxfordshire would like to hear what your views are.

Have your say on this issue on our Vagrancy forum