THE centre of Leigh is set to become a safer place.

For on Tuesday local businessman Albert Waterfield of Waterfields Bakery will officially switch on the area's electronic eyes which will monitor wrongdoers day and night.

Altogether 52 CCTV cameras are "on duty' throughout Leigh and Wigan town centres at a cost of £380,000, and their quality means remarkably sharp colour pictures.

Signals are carried on state of the art fibre optics with 24 hours a day recording, 365 days of the year, and police have the ability to tune in and control particular cameras in cases where special intelligence has been received.

Cash for the project was provided by the Government, the council, City Challenge, Coalfield Challenge and private contributions.

Cllr Tom Sherratt, Deputy Council Leader, said: "We are convinced that this comprehensive new CCTV system is going to be a very powerful ally in the fight against crime and vandalism.

"Evidence from all over the country shows that having the camera there does act as a deterrent to people bent on acts of theft, violence and destruction, whereas law abiding citizens have nothing whatever to fear from them. The strictest possible controls are in place to ensure that the pictures cannot be misused or sold on to any other agency. I am particularly pleased that this is another example of the excellent spirit of co-operation that exists between the council, police and local business people."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.