A businessman who was the victim of street crime both at home and abroad has come up with a smart way of combating pick-pockets. 

Nick Hughes, 43, of Handbridge, had his wallet stolen in London about five years ago and had his mobile phone taken during a holiday in Marbella.  

His experiences got him thinking about just how serious the issue was in major cities and busy holiday destinations. 

So in March, Nick launched Minder Bell Accessories - a company selling small bells which attach to purses, wallets, bags and mobile phones and ring if anyone tries to interfere with them, altering the owner.

Within months of launching the product, 150,000 bells have been sold and they are a best-seller on Amazon. 

Now Nick is taking the product on to Spain where he will hand out free Minder Bells on the streets of Barcelona. 

Nick, who was born in Wrexham, said: "I chose Barcelona to launch the product as Trip Advisor claim it is the worst city in the world for pick-pocketing.

"I’m actually a tad nervous as many big cities do have gangs which organise this sort of thing, so not sure they will enjoy a little Welshman wandering around disrupting their business.

“I believe pick-pocketting is a huge problem, especially in big cities."

So-called 'dipping bells' have been in existence for some time but Nick's Minder Bells aim to stand out in the market place as they come in 10 different colours to match modern purses, mobiles and wallets.

They can be purchased online for less than £2 each. 

Nick works for his family's business JNE Security Ltd, based in Gresford near Wrexham. He is also a racehorse owner with links to Manor House Stables in Malpas.