A new app-based tool will help businesses report crime and anti-social behaviour.

BID Camborne has announced plans to purchase the licensed tool, which will allow quick reporting of such incidents.

The tool, named BID:BIS (BID Camborne Business Intelligence Scheme), will use the Disc system, which is already used by more than 500 towns and city centres across the UK.

Disc helps reduce criminal behaviour through effective communication about local troublemakers and incidents.

It keeps users updated with an instant messaging system that is data protection compliant, and reports can be escalated directly to the police.

BID directors agreed to invest in Disc earlier this year and had hoped for financial contributions and collaborative support to buy it.

However, as this was not possible, the BID team have been working hard to find ways of wholly funding a pilot year for BID:BIS themselves.

Samantha Hussey, chair of BID Camborne, said: "We feel that it’s vital to prioritise keeping our town centre safe from crime and anti-social behaviour.

"Our budget is limited, but it’s clear that criminal behaviour is affecting our levy payers and their customers, and we need to do everything we can to resolve that issue.

"Disc empowers communities to share information about incidents and offenders and is the most widely used system in the UK.

"We’ve been very impressed by its effectiveness in other areas and believe it’s worth the expense of a trial year.

"Safeguarding businesses and public areas in Camborne is paramount, and we’re delighted to be going ahead with this BID:BIS initiative.

"We can’t afford not to."

The initiative comes as a response to the increasing impact of criminal behaviour on levy payers and their customers.

The trial year will allow the BID team to assess the system's effectiveness in Camborne.