VIOLENT attacks in the centre of Otley have boosted support for the use of Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras in the town.

The latest in a series of incidents, in which a 70-year-old woman was knocked to the ground and had her bag snatched, has brought moves to bring surveillance to 'hot spots' in the town.

Leeds city and Otley town councillor Phil Coyne (Labour, Ashfield Ward), who is also the chairman of Otley Town Partnership, said that he supported CCTV for the town.

Coun Coyne said: "It is a wish of the town council and town partnership. Unfortunately, because of the low level of crime in Otley, we are not eligible for funding.

"The Otley Town Watch has come up with the possibility of a mobile camera, which I support.

"I would like an arrangement between Pool-in-Wharfedale Parish Council, Bramhope Parish Council and Otley Town Council to jointly hold this camera so it can be used in Otley and Wharfedale."

He added: "At the moment I am looking at the possibility of funding a mobile CCTV camera so we can focus on hot spots."

Coun Coyne described the recent attacks in Otley town centre as 'extremely worrying'.

He said: "It seems to me there is the consistency of them taking place in the same area with a similar level of violence.

"It is extremely concerning in a small town like Otley. We cannot say we will wait for CCTV, there has to be some kind of police response to this.

"Certainly the town council and the town partnership would support CCTV. It is a case of identifying a source of funding for it."

Putting the town under the gaze of surveillance cameras was described by Det Insp Liam McNamara as an excellent idea, in the wake of the street robberies, and one that he would officially endorse.

He said: "It would do a lot, I think, to give the local residents peace of mind when crimes of this kind have been committed."

But a spokeswoman for Leeds City Council said that although there had been some successes in the past with funding for CCTV from the Government, the last bidding process excluded town centres.

She said: "While sympathetic to the concerns being highlighted, the council simply does not have a budget for CCTV development in town centres, whether in Otley or any other town in the district.

"In such situations we have suggested alternatives, as part of a wider community safety strategy.

"The community in Otley has responded particularly well and the police's local community safety officer, in conjunction with the Chamber of Trade and Commerce, has already introduced a Business Crime Prevention Scheme as a low-cost alternative to CCTV. We understand other positive ideas are in the pipeline."

l In recent months there have been a number of muggings in the Westgate area. One attack resulted in an Otley man suffering serious facial injuries and losing an eye.

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