They say the new technology is helping to slash crime and anti-social behaviour.

Officers are confident that underage drinking, public disorder, vandalism and harassment are all being reduced in the area, which has been plagued by gangs and crime.

The footage can be used as evidence in court, but can also have a deterrent effect – in the case of one youngster officers showed film of him out on the streets to his parents.

Police officers wear the cameras on bands attached to their heads and they can take high-quality rolling footage of incidents.

When attending an incident, officers warn that the cameras are rolling and the footage can be used in a court of law.

The devices are already used in Portsmouth but only for major policing operations such as football matches.

The Hayling Island cameras have helped cut anti-social behaviour in hot-spots like Hayling Park in Beach Road.

The cameras have been used since January after being paid for by a Paris-to-Hayling Island bike ride fund-raiser and Warner Leisure Hotel's Lakeside Chalet Resort.

Hayling Island's Sergeant Steve Pratley said: 'We certainly aren't getting the problems we were having 18 months ago now.'

He said the cameras were one of the most powerful deterrents available to police and represented modern policing.

He added: 'What better way to present evidence to a jury than the actual footage of what happened?'

He said the cameras had almost entirely stopped youths hurling abuse at officers.

And he said: 'We showed the camera footage to a parent. They could not believe how their children were acting.

'The behaviour from that particular individual has since been a lot better.'

Chairman of the Paris-to-Hayling Island bike ride Paul Fisher said: 'We feel community security is a good cause, so we were delighted to be able to support the local police with these head-camera kits – especially because of the cycling link as they are being used by officers on bikes.'