In Bedfordshire, a string perhaps? (5)
I believe the answer is:
beads
'in bedfordshire a' is the definition.
I can't judge whether this defines the answer.
'string perhaps?' is the wordplay.
'string' becomes 'bead' (beading is a kind of stringing).
'perhaps?' becomes 's' (I am not sure about this - if you are sure you should give a lot more credence to this answer).
'bead'+'s'='BEADS'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for beads that I've seen before include "Small balls for threading on string" , "Small balls with holes through the middle" .)