Suspected murderers, sex offenders and gangsters could be identified, tracked and arrested by police using facial recognition technology.

The Home Office on Tuesday confirmed seven police forces will be given 10 vans to snare some of Britain's most dangerous criminals.

Officials insist there will be "proper safeguards and checks" but the technology will allow detectives to arrest suspects they have previously "not been able to find".

Police will only be allowed to use the live facial recognition technology to arrest people on "watchlists" of wanted criminals, suspects and those subject to bail or court order conditions like sex offenders.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: "Neighbourhood policing has been decimated over the last 15 years, but through our Plan for Change we are turning the corner, starting with town and city centres.

"Within the next year, we will have 3,000 new neighbourhood officers and PCSOs in place, which is a big shift. We also want them to have more powers to tackle off-road bikes, shop theft, street theft and other crimes that have blighted some of our town and city centres, so everyone can feel safe in their own town.

"And we will provide police with the tools they need to do their jobs. Facial recognition will be used in a targeted way to identify sex offenders or people wanted for the most serious crimes who the police have not been able to find.

"That's why we're funding 10 vans and also drawing up a new legal framework, so we've got proper safeguards and checks in place so that we can use the technology to go after the most dangerous criminals."

The Metropolitan Police has arrested more than 580 people after using facial recognition technology. This includes suspected rapists, domestic abusers, knife crime thugs and robbers.

The ten new police forces will be deployed to forces in Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire, Bedfordshire, Surrey and Sussex (jointly), and Thames Valley and Hampshire (jointly).

Every van will be manned by trained officers and they will check detections against the police watchlist.

The Home Office insisted the algorithm being used in the vans has been independently tested and will only be operated in specific circumstances and with robust oversight.

Lindsey Chiswick, NPCC lead for facial recognition, said: "The police have a duty to prevent crime and keep the public safe. Live Facial recognition supports effective policing, enabling officers to locate suspects quickly and accurately.

"The increased access to Live Facial Recognition vehicles to forces that previously did not have the capability is an excellent opportunity for policing.

"Each Live Facial Recognition deployment will be targeted, intelligence-led, within a set geographical location and for defined period of time, ensuring deployments are proportionate, lawful and necessary.

"Live Facial Recognition has already been used in policing to great success, locating thousands of wanted offenders, or others breaching their bail conditions.

"I am confident that the increased use of this technology will continue to support the safety of communities across the country moving forward."