Leominster town councillors have welcomed moves to set up a staffed control room in Hereford, to help crackdown on crime in four town centres with CCTV security cameras, writes PETE BLENCH.

Transmissions from Leominster and other towns have not been constantly monitored until now.

"At long last someone will be looking at the screens seeing if our shop windows are being kicked in, " said mayor Roger Hunt.

Councillors were told the new 'slave control room' in the Shire Hall would link with Hereford Police Station.

Offer welcomed

They welcomed an offer by new county CCTV manager Jenny Goldsbury to attend a Leominster meeting. She will be asking the town council to stump up some cash to help pay for the project.

Councillor Peter Goody said it would be a good opportunity to ask questions over future maintenance of equipment.

Councillor Gordon Morris waded in with criticism of a system which for so long had given 'practically nil service' because of persistent equipment failure, including a camera that pointed into the sky for months on end. (It was the butt of local jokes about surveillance of enemy aircraft).

Town clerk John Wesley said all cameras were now working.