CCTV coverage is being beefed up in Swanage. A security camera is going up at Swanage boat park and surveillance stepped up along the sea front.

A £3,800 upgrade of the sea front camera will allow police to monitor digital images via a microwave radio link - cutting out the need to rely on video tapes.

Swanage town council is applying for planning permission to install a 10-metre pole needed to hold the camera on the corner of Victoria Avenue and Shore Road.

Swanage town clerk Alan Leeson said: "This will provide complete coverage of the sea front, all along Shore Road, and look out across Sandpit Field and the war memorial."

He also said: "The microwave radio link is a weak signal which has to be within a certain range and in line of sight.

"We are not talking about a mobile phone mast."

Swanage Fisherman's Association donated £1,500 towards providing CCTV at the boatpark following a spate of thefts.

Up to nine fisherman rely on the boatpark as a base for their livelihoods.

Association chairman Alan Lander said: "We've had a lot of break-ins and gear going missing. It is a nuisance.

"This has taken a long time to get organised - we were going to do our own scheme but then the council wanted to get cover at the boat park so we decided to go in together.

"There have been boats on trailers that have gone missing."

A Puddletown man was caught on CCTV kicking and punching a drunken man in a late night assault.

Tristan Proctor pleaded guilty to causing fear or provocation of violence when he appeared before magistrates in Blandford.

The court was told that Proctor, 22, of High Street, Puddletown, had been "fairly drunk" on the night when he and a friend were seen on town centre cameras assaulting another man.

A drunken man had stumbled into the path of Proctor and his companion on December 13 at 1.50am and fallen to the ground.

Prosecutor Julian Baugh said: "Without any provocation Proctor and the other man kicked him in the head and ran off.

"When they saw the man get back to his feet they returned and punched him back to the ground and continued to punch and kick him.

"It was a vicious attack. Both men ran off but the whole incident was captured on CCTV."

In mitigation William Hazelton said Proctor had over-reacted and his actions were out of character.

Proctor was given a 120-hour community punishment order and ordered to pay £34 costs.

First published: April 27