People visiting a well-known Surrey gay cruising spot have been provided £120 worth of tea and biscuits by Surrey Police.

The force have admitted providing the hot beverages and snacks between May and July at the Hog’s Back Cafe, a well known pick up point for gay sex between Guildford and Farnham.

And while the news piqued the interest of Daily Mail columnist Richard Littlejohn, Surrey Police insisted the work was covered by police guidelines.

A spokesman said neighbourhood officers, the lesbian and gay liaison officer and someone from the NHS had spoken to people with the aim of building trust and getting them to report hate crime.

Surrey has always been something of a hotbed for outdoor sex, with internet sites dedicated to finding both people and places to engage in the activity, which is only illegal if witnessed by a member of the public who takes umbrage.

Fears Epsom Downs was being taken over by doggers and cruisers were raised a few years ago, with police patrols used to address the problem in the short term.

One of the favoured locations was just yards from Epsom racecourse’s Queen’s Stand, where Her Majesty enjoys Derby Day in June each year.

At the time one Epsom Downs resident said: “I go past a lot when it’s dark and I see a lot of cars there.

"I feel sorry for the people who go up there for a genuine reason, because they’re being tainted as doggers.

“But it’s always been well known as the place to go for that reason.

"Personally, I would be wary of going up there on my own and I would never get out of my car if I did.”