COUNCIL bosses were forced to admit today that more than a third of York's CCTV cameras are out of order.

An Evening Press investigation has uncovered fears that the city's antiquated network is failing to protect shoppers, residents and motorists.

We found that almost a dozen cameras were not attached to a recording machine, six can barely see in the dark and others were crippled by mechanical faults.

York MP Hugh Bayley today called on city leaders to address the faults "as a matter of great urgency" as he labelled the cameras as the "first line of defence against crime".

Victim Aidan Pole, 24, whose attack in Low Ousegate was not recorded because a camera was broken, said he was "totally shocked" by the scale of the problem.

Rod Jones, of City of York Council, said it was being treated with "great urgency" and, since the Evening Press began making inquiries, some faults had been corrected.

See also the article 'Eyes in the sky die' that will appear in our news archive for 14/01/05.

Updated: 10:21 Friday, January 14, 2005