A £20,000 CCTV system is being introduced in Wareham to help combat anti-social behaviour.

Wareham town council has paid half the cost of the high-tech digital system, with the other half funded by two £5,000 grants from Dorset County Council's crime and disorder partnership.

Mayor of Wareham Ann Selby said: "I hope this wonderful new system is going to help with crime prevention in the town.

"This has been a prime concern of residents of the town who want a clampdown on anti-social behaviour and I am sure this is going to be the answer."

She added: "I know it is down to a collective effort but there are two people I would like to thank, Cllr Les Burns and town clerk Pam Papani who have worked tirelessly for this."

The new system is controlled from Wareham police station and pans around the town, keeping a continual digital record which can be checked at any time.

Cllr Les Burns said: "We are looking now to the future and extending the cameras to widen the area covered.

"The pictures are excellent and you can quite clearly identify people. Anyone who goes through Wareham town centre will have their image captured on TV.

"For those who have nothing to fear this is very much in the interests of public safety."

Each camera can record a fixed area or pan around the town and police officers are currently undergoing training in how to operate the new system.