Police officers could be turned into walking surveillance cameras.

Teams of 'camera coppers' would patrol trouble hot spots while wired-up to CCTV vans.

Secret cameras fitted to their helmets would film villains and troublemakers in the act.

Lenses the size of pinheads would poke through the helmet's badge and beam pictures to the nearby mobile units.

The transmission aerial would be slotted down the spine at the back of the helmet and footage taken could be used as evidence in court.

There would even be a hole in the helmet to plug in for recharging the batteries.

Trials are underway in Brighton, and Sussex Police are watching their progress.

The idea was dreamt up by a business development manager with the force.

Robin Allaston won £50 for his suggestion to the police Make a Difference (MaD) scheme.

Mr Allaston, 47 and from Worthing, said: "A prime use could be when police attend alcohol-related incidents outside nightclubs and pubs."

Besides evidence gathering, the camera would show CCTV operators where the officers were and alert them if the officers needed assistance.

Mr Allaston, who has three daughters, built the prototype helmet using scrap material.

He has tested its transmission effectiveness inside a building and will carry out further tests.

Mr Allaston learnt electronics in the RAF and with British Aerospace before he joined Sussex Police in 2001.

He has come up with unusual ideas before.

One that got the thumbs down was to put patrol officers in Smart cars, bought and sponsored by major companies.

"Criminals would not realise they were being watched by police and when they got used to the cars, they would act as a deterrent.

"Criminals would suspect every Smart car on the road was full of police. The force didn't think much of that idea."

Mr Allaston was not deterred and he is now working on yet another idea - a miniature audio recording device strapped to a policeman's belt.

He said: "Police could warn would-be offenders they were recording what they were saying."

Mr Allaston said his helmet camera had so far not drawn any derisory comments from colleagues.

A force spokesman said: "It is a bright idea and we are watching developments with interest."