A SUSPECTED arson attack happened near an industrial estate just two months after businesses voted to switch off CCTV cameras.

The security system covered eight industrial estates in Bolton and it was scrapped in November.

A fairground trailer full of dodgems worth £60,000 was set alight in Mill Street at 6.30pm on Thursday — in view of the non-working cameras.

Michael Hill, aged 20, son of Michael Hill and Sons Amusements, said: “There are cameras in the area but they are not switched on because there is no funding.

“Now we probably won’t find out who did this.

“What are they going to burn next? Something goes wrong with our stuff and then we find out the cameras are not working.

“I think something needs to be done about this.”

Supporters of the CCTV scheme said it helped cut crime by 80 per cent over six years, but critics said it was costly and not needed.

The scheme covered Moses Gate, Lyon, Express, Europa, Fishbrook, Tonge Bridge, Mill Hill and Edge Fold industrial estates and covered 318 businesses.

The Industrial Estate Partnership Business Improvement District (IEP BID) was operated by a board of business people and backed by Bolton Council and the police. It has now been wound up.

Former board chairman, Mike Green, of Leigh Paints, said: “I was supportive of the camera staying on for these sorts of reasons.

“Although we have got our own security system and team, there is no doubt that the level of petty crime like vandalism and graffiti diminished greatly over the years it was in operation.”

A council spokesman said: “The businesses paid a levy for the cameras but they recently decided collectively that they did not want to pay that anymore so the cameras were switched off.

“They cannot run without the money.”