CRIMINALS in Worcester will soon have fewer places to hide, thanks to a massive boost to the city's CCTV system.

Within a fortnight, the city council will start installing an extra 33 cameras from St John's to London Road, more than doubling the size of its existing network.

The cameras, which will be in place before the end of the financial year in April, will be monitored by the police at Castle Street.

Many will be up before Christmas and Andy Walford, the city's principal engineer, said the extra cameras would ensure all city council car parks were covered, as well as parts of St John's.

"The city's CCTV network has proved an excellent tool in both crime detection and prevention," he said.

"It's also proved useful in monitoring the flood levels of last year, in the rescue of an attempted suicide at St Martin's Gate multi-storey car park, and identifying ill and injured people in the city and ensuring a swift response for medical systems.

"It also helps monitor congestion and mobilise responses to deal with obstructions on city centre roads."

Mr Walford warned motorists of likely delays in the run-up to the festive season, especially across the main bridge, North Parade, near the Severn View Hotel, Deansway and London Road, near Wyld's Lane and Bath Road.

"A number of roadworks will be set in place to allow for the installation of ducts carrying fibre optic cables," he said.

But other road repairs planned between now and December would be scaled down to cut the amount of disruption.

Drivers will be warned about delays well in advance through a network of signs across Worcester.

"Most of these works will take place outside peak times," he promised.

"The project team is working very closely with the contractors involved so that, where possible, disruption is reduced to a minimum."