OVERTON bobby Pc Paul Green has hit back at claims that installing CCTV in the village is 'a poor substitute to proper policing'.

Chairman of Overton Business Association and parish councillor Peter Baker made the comments at a recent parish meeting discussing the allocation of funding towards the installation of cameras.

But Pc Green says there is good policing in Overton and officers are making every effort to ensure crimes are tackled in the village.

"Over the last two or three years it is fair to say there haven't been as many police officers based in the village because the police station closed. But it's not going to open again and people have got to look forward. CCTV will be a great assistance," he said.

"In September, the level of beat policing was very poor but since then changes have been made to the duty system and freed up a lot more time for me to spend in the village. There is good policing in the Overton area."

Pc Green said Overton Business Association had never invited him to speak about how best to tackle crime, but hoped that everyone could work together to meet the same aims.

And he disputed claims that the quality of CCTV footage was 'poor'. "A lot of CCTV systems are very good quality but it does depend on what you get," he said. "It's proven CCTV is a good thing. "I would ask people to forget about the closure of the police station and work together on a way forward to look at what we can do to make the village better. I would also reassure people that the quality of policing in Overton is good."