CONTROVERSY raged as the first CCTV poles were installed in Bridport town centre yesterday.

The stark, black poles seemed thicker, taller and far more prominent than anyone had imagined.

"It's a scandal," said wine merchant Mike Farmer.

"I think they're dreadful. I've just come up South Street and there's one right in the middle of the pavement. It ruins the charm of our street scene."

Newsagent Ron Craddock had plenty of people telling him what they thought of the poles - which are yet to have security cameras placed on them.

"I thought it was going to be a small camera on a three metre post and it's turned out to be a rocket," he said, but added that he was pleased about CCTV from a security point of view.

"One good thing is that if there's a fire I can shin down it like a fireman's pole from my bedroom window."

There were philosophical views about the new poles.

One retailer said: "It's all going to help. You won't notice them after a while."

One local thought the poles were more suitable for the hanging basket world championships.

"Maybe Bridport Chamber of Trade have gone into Bridport in Bloom in a big way," he said.

Seven pole-mounted cameras and two wall-mounted cameras are due to be up and running in August.

When members of the district council's local planning committee asked in May why more cameras couldn't be wall-mounted, the county council's highways officer said complicated legal permissions were needed from property owners which might preclude this.