A safer seafront could be on its way to Leigh Old Town thanks to a European grant.

Just over £7,000 has been awarded to help fit five spy cameras in the Old Town.

Another £7,000 in match-funding will come from Leigh Town Council and Southend Council.

The cash will also help buy freezer equipment for the Southend and Leigh fishing industry for a temporary fish store.

Jubilant Southend councillor Peter Wexham said he was delighted the Old Town had finally secured some Euro funding.

Mr Wexham, Lib Dem councillor for Leigh, said: "I am very pleased to see we have got something for the benefit of fishermen as well as the everybody else in the Old Town.

"There have regularly been problems at night with vessels being set adrift and stuff being thrown overboard. Sometimes there is trouble birthing vessels with swimmers jumping into the sea between the boats and there has been trouble with kids chucking mud at vessels."

Two closed-circuit TV cameras will be installed to keep an eye on Bell wharf, two more will be fitted at either end of the High Street and the last camera will look out over the cockle sheds.

Fisherman Paul Gilson, former chairman of Leigh and Southend Fishermen's Association, welcomed the arrival of the money.

Mr Gilson, of Undercliff Gardens, Leigh, was on a committee which checked the bid before sending it off to Europe.

He said: "The cameras are something we have been going on about for a long time. At times, there are very unsociable people down there and there aren't enough police to be down there all the time."

Southend councillor Peter Wexham and Leigh town councillor David Johnson overlook the site of the new cameras

Picture: STEPHEN LLOYD

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