MOVES to introduce CCTV in Swanage have been delayed until the New Year.

Nine security cameras were scheduled for installation this autumn to crackdown on incidents of violence and vandalism involving groups of young people.

The £10,000 scheme came as a result of a sponsorship drive amongst local traders.

Town clerk Alan Leeson said: "The highways authority, Dorset County Council, would not let us put the cameras on street lamps because they are too heavy for the poles.

"And we would need special permission from five organisations to dig up the road to put ducting across."

Instead town council chiefs are seeking planning permission to place a £9,000 security pole with a camera which tilts, zooms and pans, on council-owned land in the area of the tourist information centre.

Mr Leeson said: "Other businesses are going to come forward to provide cameras protecting their own interests.

"Now that we've got the details of the pole we will have another meeting of partners to discuss exactly the number of cameras and locations that will be covered."

Mayor of Swanage Cllr Gary Suttle said: "The seafront is the A351 so it's a main road and you have to have special permission to dig across it."

He also said: "We've had to re-think the scheme - it's still going ahead but in a different manner."