WINSFORD is being sold short by council leaders' failure to install CCTV, claims a shopkeeper who is regularly targeted by vandals.
Foodcraft owner John Finney believes the town is being neglected while other parts of Vale Royal benefit from comprehensive CCTV coverage.
Mr Finney, who runs the shop with his dad, John Snr, has seen his insurance premiums soar after repeated attacks on the High Street chip shop, and believes something should be done to protect traders.
He believes a system of cameras would also protect people walking home at night - and says they could have helped catch the men behind two sex attacks in Winsford recently.
Police released an e-fit just last week of a thug who sexually assaulted a young girl and Mr Finney believes camera coverage could have helped trace her movements and shed some fresh light on the attacker's ID.
Mr Finney, who had a sign smashed in the latest attack this week and has repeatedly had his windows put through, said: 'Winsford really does seem to be the poor relation when it comes to getting anything done. You look at Northwich and see how the town centre is fully covered by CCTV, but we have nothing like that here.
'We seem to be the only town in Cheshire which does not have CCTV coverage.
'Anything can happen when people are walking home after a night out - I live above the shop and I see a lot.
'I had a sign smashed last week, which costs me about £300 to replace, and that is the third or fourth time it has happened.
'I have also had the front windows put through on a number of occasions. They cost £2,000 to replace and, while I have got insurance, my premium goes up every time it happens.
'We are a fast growing town and we are talking of an increase to 30,000 people, yet we are still the poor relations in Vale Royal. You would think they would spend some money on making sure Winsford is secure.'
At present Vale Royal Borough Council has no plans to install CCTV coverage, but Winsford Town Mayor Nick Harris said: 'We can certainly ask Winsford Area Working Group to look at installing CCTV coverage for the High Street.
'There are a number of shops there which would be grateful for help because of the vandalism.'
