The Stamp Out Retail Crime Every Day (SORTED) initiative is taking place in Cathedral Square between 10am and 4pm, and will include a variety of events aimed at encouraging young people to find alternatives to getting into trouble.

Cambridgeshire police's forensics department will be manning a stall at the event to demonstrate the techniques they use to catch out criminals.

There will also be interactive stalls and displays from a number of leisure groups to help teenagers come up with more creative ways to spend the school holidays.

The event is held every summer by the police in partnership with city centre retailers, and organiser Sergeant Mick Thorpe said this year's event would be the biggest yet.

He said: "In the past we have concentrated on deterring shoplifting, but this year we are widening it to focus on other problems such as criminal damage, alcohol and drugs and anti-social behaviour.

"The idea is firstly to highlight that crime doesn't pay and secondly to show young people what things there are for them to do in the area over the next six weeks, rather than coming into the city and causing trouble."