Witney's new CCTV system should be in operation before Christmas, West Oxfordshire District Council has been told.

The opportunity is to be seized during the autumn, while roadworks are carried out in Witney High Street, of laying in cables to connect up to a central monitoring station.

Vic Allison, the council's finance director, said: "We are still trying to get contributions towards the running costs of the scheme, but we should make use of the highway works to put in the ducts.

"It will not become fully operational till later in the year, probably around Christmas time."

The CCTV scheme, backed by a Home Office capital grant, is expected to cost around £100,000 a year. It will provide round-the-clock monitoring.

Cameras will be located at key points in the High Street, Market Square, Welch Way, Corn Street and the town's two public car parks.

Woodstock councillor Ann Cooper has flagged up the possibility of other towns in the district also having CCTV systems.

"I would like us to consider other areas. Woodstock certainly has problems at weekends," she said.