SHOPKEEPERS in Accrington have hit out after it was revealed that the town's network of CCTV cameras has not been working for the past two months.

The problems have occurred after Hyndburn Council began an upgrade of the borough's ageing security cameras.

Today businesses said the blackout had put shopkeepers at risk.

Michael Whewell, who represents the town's independent retailers, said: "There has been a great risk and we have been very fortunate that while the cameras have not been working nothing has really happened.

"We have got away with it really. Having a working network of CCTV cameras is a big advantage. It is unfortunate that it has been off."

Mr Whewell, of Whewell's Timber and Toolbox, in Bridge Street, said that the fact that it was not widely known that the cameras were not working had been a huge blessing.

He added: "If the criminal element were aware of it, it could have caused problems."

Hyndburn Council is spending £250,000 to replace 29 CCTV cameras in Accrington town centre.

The cash has come from the government's single regeneration budget.

The network of cameras is being replaced because of worries over reliability.

When the investment was first announced in spring of this year, Hyndburn Council leader Coun Peter Britcliffe said: "It sends a clear message to people that their priorities are our priorities." But now the council has had to admit that the switch over has been far from smooth, although the full system was being finally be turned on last night.

A spokesperson for Hyndburn Council said: "Hyndburn's new digital CCTV system will be going fully operational at 6pm tonight.

"We began the phased shut down of the old analogue system at the beginning of July.

"We then started the transfer of cameras and the commissioning of the new system.

"All parties who needed to be aware of the process were kept fully up to speed with progress, although naturally this was not widely broadcast as it was important to retain a deterrent effect." The Hyndburn Council CCTV system was located at Accrington police station but the new technology is being housed at a monitoring suite at the Eastern Division police head-quarters in Greenbank, Blackburn. CCTV was introduced into Accrington 10 years ago and police say it has helped to secure more than 3,000 arrests in that time.

Inspector Terry Woods from Accrington Police commented: "CCTV is a powerful crime prevention tool and cameras have helped make Accrington a safer place."