ACCORDING to a recent survey, one woman in three has lost their handbag, with almost as many having had it stolen at least once - costing Britain’s females some £4.9 billion.

As well as replacing lost items, on average handbags contain three credit or debit cards and one woman in eight has had money taken from their bank account after their bag disappeared.

Virtually any public place offers potential rich pickings to a would-be bag snatcher. Restaurants, hotels, pubs and even offices are all vulnerable areas, with the most thefts happening (one in four) from a pub.

But a clever little innovation has been getting to grips with the situation. The Chelsea Clip, marketed by Selectamark Security Systems, was invented by two London crime prevention officers in response to the dramatic rise in handbag thefts across the country.

Made from injection-moulded plastic, the Chelsea Clip is easily attached to the underside of tables in bars, pubs, cafes and restaurants - or anywhere a customer may need to secure a bag, personal luggage or mobile phone.

It takes two hands to remove a bag from the Chelsea Clip, so a thief would not be able to remove it without drawing attention to themselves and running the risk of getting caught. The Chelsea Clip is designed to secure personal belongings discreetly out of harm’s way.

Already installed at exclusive hotels such as The Waldorf Hilton and The Langham in London – The Chelsea Clip is fast becoming a familiar fixture on the social scene at other leading venues too, including Harrods, Selfridges, Carluccio’s and Cadbury House & Country Club.