Anyone arrested for robbery, burglary, theft or drug offences in Oxford will be asked to take a test and offered treatment if they prove to be users of class A drugs.

Civilian gaolers will carry out the tests on people charged with 'trigger offences', such as robbery and burglary, to which many addicts commit to help pay for their habits.

Offenders who test positive for heroin, crack or cocaine, will be encouraged to take up drugs treatment with the Cowley Road-based Substance Misuse Arrest Referral Team (Smart).

Smart's arrest referral worker Ben Stoker will work at the police station alongside officers.

Anyone who refuses to give a saliva sample for testing can be charged with failing to do so, under the Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000. The results of the tests are available to the courts.

Oxford is one of a number of areas taking part in the pilot scheme.

The Government wants to find out how much offending has links with drugs, and aims to reduce repeat offending by addicts.

Oxford police drugs co-ordinator Pat Peters said the scheme had been delayed until December 16, because of pressure put on police by the fire strike.

It was initially scheduled to start in October.

Darren Worthington, Smart's arrest referral manager, said: "It's going to widen the net so people we would often miss are going to be offered the chance to take up drugs treatment. The wider the net, the more positive it is for the community."