Smile for the camera - Inside Slough's CCTV hub

Nestled within a small corner of the old town hall, a team of CCTV operators patiently scans a wall of screens as they monitor the comings and goings of life in Slough.

This is Slough Borough Council's CCTV centre, which aims to help keep people safe and provide police with vital evidence to solve crimes.

Armed with state-of-the-art technology and with access to 90 cameras located across the town, the operators man the Bath Road site 24 hours a day, 365 days a week.

"It is a local authority service to make safer communities," explained CCTV manager Peter Webster.

"It happens to get evidence the police can use in prosecution."

A CCTV centre has operated from this site since 1973, but, following the town hall's closure last year when it was converted into Claycots Primary School, the decision was made to refurbish the site.

Work was completed in September last year, and new technology now means the team of operators has the clearest view yet of what's going on in the town.

With the flick of a joystick, operators can capture crimes taking place in real time, with information quickly relayed to police resulting in more arrests being made.

Staff also have access to police radios and data and can listen to 999 calls being made.

In recent weeks the cameras have helped capture people smoking drugs, alerted police to town centre brawls, and helped tackle anti-social behaviour.

"If they are breaking the law they will get caught," said Pete, a former Heathrow Airport manager.

"There is no miscarriage of justice here, there is no wrong person being charged. "

Despite the presence of so many cameras, Pete defends any accusations that 'big brother' is sticking his nose in.

"They [people] are not being watched," he insisted.

"This is about public safety. We do not want to discriminate between what people are doing, what they are wearing. We just capture the facts that are taking place on film."

The centre also has a number of other purposes as well as fighting crime.

It is home to Careline, a service which provides vulnerable and elderly people in Slough and the surrounding areas with a panic alarm.

Once set off, it connects them straight to an operator based at the CCTV centre so they can receive help.

Other services run there include an anti-social behaviour hotline and an 'intelligent transport system', which helps keep traffic flowing in the town.

The council-funded service costs about half-a-million pounds to run annually, but Pete insists it is value for money.

"People tell us they feel safe," he said. "We are the unsung heroes."