A major programme of improvements to the CCTV in Worcester city centre has begun.

The £600,000 project will take four months to complete and will see 93 new high definition cameras installed.

The improvements – which will provide much clearer camera images and the ability for some cameras to view 360 degrees – have been funded by Worcester City Council with a £75,000 contribution from Police and Crime Commissioner John Campion.

The new system will include three mobile cameras that can be moved to different locations as required – for example, in response to anti-social behaviour.

Councillor James Stanley, Chair of the City Council’s Communities Committee, said: “These improvements to our city’s CCTV network will help our communities feel safer and will bring many advantages.

"It means improved security at our growing programme of city events, an increased ability to detect crime and it will also be a great aid in other circumstances, such as trying to find missing persons.

West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner John Campion said: “I am committed to improving and upgrading CCTV cameras and systems across West Mercia, including Worcester City, and have invested £1m over my term in office because I recognise that they are an incredibly valuable resource.

Chief Inspector Gareth Morgan from the Worcester local policing team said: “We hugely welcome this investment and upgrade; CCTV can be a hugely powerful tool to help us prevent and detect crime and we don’t underestimate the reassurance it can give people living and working in the city. We also hope this also demonstrates that the police service and the local council do, and will continue to, work closely together to do all we can to keep our communities safe.”

The new CCTV system will be fully digital, improving both the quality and range of coverage.