A walk-in advice centre for stalkers has opened in Germany’s capital, Berlin.

The centre, the first of its kind in Germany, provides clients with five psychotherapists and social workers, to give their advice.

The centre works along side the Police, but clients can remain anonymous.

It aims to look at what are the motives for stalking, to encourage positive behaviour and to prevent future stalking.

The psychotherapists work in a cognitive way by trying to change the way the stalker thinks. They promote positive behaviour, and believe stalking is an addiction. By working with the staff at the clinic, they can kick their habit and stop the reoccurrence of stalking.

In Germany, stalkers can be punished with fines or prison sentences of up to 10 years.

Stalking was made a criminal offence in Germany a year ago and more than 1,000 cases were reported in Berlin in 2007.