BOURNEMOUTH'S First Stop Security is the first UK company to train on a new course in "safe physical intervention" at work.

First Stop provides security staff for nightclubs, bars, car parks, shops and companies.

It also does car clamping.

The firm operates in Bournemouth, Poole, Southampton, Winchester and Portsmouth.

Its new training will be delivered by Primus Training & Consultancy from Wales.

Staff will be taught a wide range of non-violent options to deal with the most common scenarios involving physical contact.

First Stop Security director Chris Davies said: "At present, door supervisors are not required by the licensing authority to be trained in physical intervention techniques.

"However, as it is something that they often have to deal with, we currently offer some limited in-house training to teach them how to break away from dangerous situations.

"The new course will provide them with the much-needed skills to restrain, remove and deal with physical situations in a safe way.

"We don't want to put them in a situation where they have to rely on brute force and ignorance - we want them to be properly trained."

Primus director Sean Colsey said: "More people now seem to be facing violence at work. Many of these people have received no formal training in physical intervention, which means that if things do get physical, they run the risk of becoming a victim of assault or being accused of assault themselves."