New evidence-gaining Polaroid cameras have been distributed to every police station in the Met thanks to a successful pilot scheme launched in Croydon.

The borough's police force was one of five throughout London chosen to test out the ICEFLO cameras (Immediate Capture of Evidence from Front Line Officers) back in 1999.

The cameras, which were launched Met-wide on April 2, are kept in squad cars and are used by officers at the scene of the crime to record evidence as they find it.

The cameras have already proved their worth in Croydon after photographs taken of a vandalised bus lead to the arrest of three youths.

Sergeant Rick Denham-Svark, who trains officers to use the ICEFLO cameras at South Norwood police station, said: "These cameras can make such a difference when you are at the scene of the incident. You can photograph the immediate evidence rather than waiting for a few hours or even days for photographers to show up."