"TALKING" CCTV cameras which tell off people for dropping litter should be put up in Bolton's Town Hall square, says a leading councillor.

Cllr Walsh says Bolton was a pioneer of such cameras in the late 1970s.

They invoved an operator monitoring CCTV cameras in the town hall using a public address system to tell litter louts to clean up what they had thrown on to the street.

Cllr Walsh believes the system lapsed after equipment was destroyed in the 1981 fire which ravaged the town hall.

The Conservative spokesman for the environment said: "Why not bring it back? It worked to a degree at the time and it would be worth a try."

Earlier this month, the Government announced that it was trying out talking CCTV cameras in 20 Respect areas, including Salford.

Operators will send out messages or reprimands to those spotted committing acts of anti-social behaviour.

Bolton Council leader Cllr Cliff Morris said: "We have had a similar system at the entrance to the Royal Bolton Hospital for about six months to tell people to stop smoking and it works well.

"But I would like to see how this system works in the 20 pilot areas before considering how we can adapt the system for Bolton."

Cllr Roger Hayes, Liberal Democrat environment spokesman, said: "This is quite a good idea as a shock tactic. It's a bit Big Brother but it's worth trying."