Traders in Witney have renewed their call for closed circuit television cameras to be installed as soon as possible in the town centre.

In recent weeks several shop windows have been smashed causing several thousand pounds worth of damage. Other shops have been broken into.

In the latest incident windows at two adjoining shops in the High Street were damaged in the early hours of June 13.

Both windows at Delnevo television and electric shop were smashed while one window was damaged at drapers Delnevo next door.

A working party of councillors, police and the chamber of trade has put in a bid to Government for funding to set up a CCTV scheme. The owner of Delnevo television shop Matthew Delnevo said: "Each window will cost about 1,000 to replace and there was also damage to goods due to shards of glass.

"We really do need CCTV to deter this sort of thing. I think Witney is being targeted by people from outside the town who know we do not have it."

Ann Parkes, the chamber of trade chairman, said: "If CCTV cameras had been in place everything would have been filmed."

And town centre beat bobby Pc Colin Richards said cameras would deter vandalism and crime.

A 19-year-old man has been arrested and charged with criminal damage.