Shops in a deprived East Sussex town will receive £235,000 of Government funds to upgrade their security.

Home Office Crime Reduction minister John Denham announced today that St Leonards would be given the money to help fight crime.

It will be spent on fitting security alarms, toughened glass and window locks to 200 vandal-hit shops in the town centre and King's Road area.

Andrew Wilson, who owns Wilson and Sons Bakers, King's Road, said: "The council has spent money upgrading private houses and this is the next step.

"Crime has fallen consistently and this is about making people feel better."

But Roy Griffin, owner of The Drug Store and Number Six Hairdressers, said all the money in the world could not replace a bobby on the beat.

He said: "I am pleased they have got the money but they should have come round and asked us what we wanted. It is up to us what we want to fork out for.

"Every year we fill in these forms for all the things we would like to have done. The money could fund a policeman's wages for 17 years by my maths."

The money is part of a £3 million Government package to help 3,000 shopkeepers in deprived areas tackle crime.

Mr Denham, who visited St Leonards to discuss the problems, said: "I recognise that crime is still too high."

The Minister said the grant, worth more than £1,000 to each shopkeeper, would help shops to remain open.