CCTV has been installed in Malmesbury town centre to tackle antisocial behaviour.

Malmesbury Town Council says the cameras are being viewed as a potential deterrent following instances of vandalism.

Nearly 30 locations are being monitoring, with CCTV being set up at various spots along the High Street as well as around Malmesbury Abbey, the Cloister Garden and Gloucester Street.

Cameras have also been installed around Abbey Row, Gloucester Road, Market Cross, Cross Hayes and the long-stay car park.

The council says the move is aimed at discouraging antisocial behaviour and promoting visitor safety.

Malmesbury Town Council first started exploring the idea of installing cameras in around 2020 though the process was suspended amid the pandemic.

However, the council picked up the issue again in late 2021 and cameras in the centre of town are now operational.

The project represents an investment of around £37,000 with the cameras being managed by the council team.

Installation of CCTV units was carried out by surveillance system provider RedHand.

Councillor Steve D’Arcy, who has been guiding the CCTV project and is chair of Malmesbury Town Council’s policy and resources committee and deputy chair of its town hall and facilities committee, said householders and traders had been calling for it in the town centre.

“Since Covid, we have had incidents of vandalism in town, and it’s being seen as being a possible solution or a deterrent to that in the future,” he said.

“It’s been something that has been called for for a long time.

“It’s been a long process, and we’re very happy that we’ve now reached a conclusion and we have a system up and running.

“We think it will be of benefit to the town for years to come.”

He added that the town council will be able to review incidents via the CCTV and share footage with the police.

“We don’t have cameras which are looking into people’s houses - we are only viewing public spaces,” he added.

“We will be putting up signs which explain that there is CCTV.

“I think people are used to CCTV, and I think people see it as being more beneficial than having a problem with intrusion on their privacy.”

Figures from Police.uk, the national website for policing in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, showed that of the 38 crimes reported in the Malmesbury Town area in May, 10 were antisocial behaviour crimes and five were in the arson and criminal damage category.