STOCKBRIDGE traders are fighting to get CCTV in the High Street because they fear their shops present a 'soft target' for thieves with surrounding towns already protected by the system.

Chairman of the local chamber of trade, Mrs Marion Paviour, said the feeling in the commercial community was that criminals were targetting Stockbridge because there were no cameras to capture them on film.

The chamber had collected money towards a surveillence system but extra funds were needed to get it into operation. Consultations with Test Valley Borough Council over a grant had begun two years ago but had yet to yield any cash.

Hampshire Police was willing to locate the recording equipment in the local station.

"The borough council is still reviewing the situation. We could buy four cameras but the chamber cannot afford the BT line or the monitoring system so we are stuck," Mrs Paviour added.

Sgt Ian Ashbolt said the initial offer to locate CCTV recording facilities in the station was still available. "Stockbridge has a very low level of crime," he said.

"But there have been instances of theft in the High Street where we could have benefited from CCTV, in particular recent thefts from the churches and there were a number of other thefts in the early part of this year from various premises.

"A number of shops have got their own CCTV but it only covers their own premises.

"With the chamber of commerce we would be looking to cover the whole of the High Street from the White Hart to the Houghton cross roads. The area is a good one for the system because there are only two entrances and exits."

The traders face a longer wait for the system because the area is not a high priority one.

Bernard Sully from the borough council said: "The council recognises the value of CCTV which plays an important part in combating the fear of crime.

"In developing the service we must have regard to priority areas and for the foreseeable future will be continuing to concentrate our attention on the town centres of Andover and Romsey."