A WORCESTER neighbourhood plagued by vandalism and anti-social behaviour has succeeded in getting CCTV cameras for its streets after a unique community campaign.

The people of Ronkswood were praised for their co-operation and perseverance by Worcester City Council's cabinet as it committed £10,000 towards buying three column-mounted CCTV cameras for the area around Lichfield Avenue.

When the cameras are finally installed later this summer, it will be the culmination of a grassroots campaign which has seen members of the public, the local church, primary school, nearby shops, neighbourhood police officers, a housing association and ward councillors all come together to make the scheme a reality.

Recommending the grant for approval, Councillor Francis Lankester, cabinet member for safer and stronger communities, said: "This has been a genuine community project. It is an excellent scheme, and could probably be used as a model for other towns and cities. These people saw a local need, got together and raised a good deal of money."

The council's £10,000 contribution is the final piece in a £45,000 jigsaw, with contributions also coming from the Safer Worcestershire Partnership and the local Co-op store.

Most of the cash has been pledged by Worcester Community Housing. Its community safety manager Bruce Mourby said he was delighted all the hard work had finally paid off.

He said: "We're now so close to putting the order in and it's a lovely feeling. So many different people and different groups have played a major part in this, and it really has been hard work at times. It's very unusual to gain CCTV outside a city centre, and there will be so many benefits for the whole community."

The Holy Trinity and St Matthews Church in Lichfield Avenue helped out by allowing the cameras to be installed on its land, while local primary school Perry Wood has agreed to house the transmitter that will beam the CCTV images back to police headquarters.

Labour and independent ward councillors pitched in by campaigning on behalf of local residents, 300 of whom signed a petition requesting the council's support for the scheme. With all the funding now in place, organisers hope the cameras will be up and running by early June.

The scheme has become a political football, with opposition Labour councillors suggesting the project had collapsed because of the council's refusal to commit to long-term funding. This has been vehemently denied by the Conservative cabinet, with leader Councillor Simon Geraghty describing the claims as "totally wrong" and "very demeaning."