HUGE concrete blocks weighing one tonne each have been installed at Bicester Village.

The centre has put 10 of the ‘anchor blocs’ – similar to those used elsewhere as anti-terror measures to stop vehicles ploughing into pedestrians – in the entrance to the shopping area.

The brightly painted blocks have been placed next to letters which spell out the word ‘love’.

It is thought that they can be effective in protecting pedestrians from terrorists driving vans at speed into crowded areas, as happened in Barcelona last week.

But earlier this year researchers in Germany drove a 10-tonne truck into 2.5 tonne concrete blocks at 30mph and found they were simply pushed aside by the power of the vehicle.

Miranda Markham, spokeswoman for Bicester Village, said that the shopping centre – which is visited by more than six million people a year – did not comment on security issues.