MANY people complain that surveillance cameras restrict their liberty, but these days it seems they are needed almost everywhere.

Rarely is a serious crime committed without some image being captured on CCTV.

Originally they were placed on industrial estates and in shopping centres, but now they are all over our streets and on our public transport, used almost as often as a deterrent rather than a mechanism that can help to identify criminals.

Police in Bolton are now shadowing buses and filming en route in an attempt to gain evidence to help prosecute anyone guilty of anti-social behaviour.

Vandalism on public transport is something of a modern phenomenon and recently there have also been a number of attacks on emergency services vehicles.

Violence and anti-social behaviour on buses and trains causes problems for other members of the public and adds to the cost of public transport, and if the offenders can be caught by the use of surveillance cameras then that is all well and good.

Anyone doubting the effectiveness of such a tactic only needs to witness how cameras on a bus helped identify the racist killers of Anthony Walker in Liverpool this year.

If this is the result, then we can all put up with the feeling that our freedom has been slightly compromised.

THERE cannot be many better Christmas presents than a £500,000 National Lottery win.

We may all be somewhat jealous, but congratulations must go to Leigh couple Andrew and Muriel Waterworth and their three children, who are planning to use their win to pay off their mortgages and enjoy a bumper Christmas.