Crime-busting CCTV cameras should be installed at a vandal- plagued school, according to a top councillor.

Southend councillor, Reg Copley, (Lab, St Luke's) is angry that Temple Sutton Primary School has again been the target of vandals.

Last week thugs hurled bricks through windows and sprayed graffiti over walls, causing hundreds of pounds damage.

Now he is calling for some of the £1.76 million government grant to Southend for expanding CCTV under the Crime Reduction Capital Programme to be used to provide the school with monitoring cameras.

Mr Copley, who has represented the area for almost 30 years, said these should be linked into the main control room at the civic centre in a bid to stop the vandalism and protect the school.

He added: "The Home Office allocation is set to provide for an additional 12 cameras to expand the town centre coverage and a further 74 cameras to provide car park surveillance.

"After this latest invasion of Temple Sutton Primary School I am calling for some of the extra cameras to be sited and used to protect the school premises."

l A football competition for young people was the main focus of a sports fun day on Monday for people living within St Luke's Ward organised by two of the area's Single Regeneration Budget projects.

The Community Information Shop in Cluny Square and the YMCA Gateway to Healthy and Independent Living Project jointly organised the soccer event which took place in Cluny Square Park on Monday.

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