A MEDICAL laboratory’s fight to keep a wall-mounted CCTV camera outside its Westhoughton premises will be decided today.

M&A Phamachem, in Wigan Road has applied to retain the camera on the side of its mill building headquarters, which fronts on to the street.

The camera is a Home Office requirement for a business of its kind and planning officers have recommended the application be approved.

A Wigan Road resident said the camera was mounted on an “ugly” gantry that is high enough to view neighbouring gardens and criticised Pharmachem for not consulting residents when installing the camera.

The CCTV wrangle follows the recent revelation that four of the town council’s seven cameras in the Market Street shopping area were not functioning at the time of an armed robbery.

Police investigations into the raid on January 6 at the Co-op store were hindered because the installation of two new cameras and repairs to two others had been postponed.

The council said “high winds” had prevented engineers using a cherry picker.