A leading Cockermouth councillor says the town will lobby for CCTV after it was revealed that it will not be included in the new county-wide network.

Workington and Maryport will get a total of nine cameras, but Cockermouth is not part of the scheme. 

Alan Kennon, a member of Cockermouth Town Council, said: "When they were organising where the CCTV were going to be, we asked for Cockermouth to be included.

"We are one of the main market towns in the county and if they're doing it, they might as well do it everywhere.

"With the fact that police officers will no longer be deployed from Cockermouth, you would think that CCTV would be an excellent opportunity here. The town has been overlooked again.

"The town council will ask again if we can have some CCTV."

Cockermouth Police Station, on Marvejols Park, was shut down as a full-time base last month.

Officers are now based in Workington.

There is one full-time PCSO at Cockermouth, with a problem-solving sergeant and two problem-solving officers.

The Cockermouth front desk is manned in the mornings.

Eight CCTV cameras are due to be installed in Workington and one in Maryport.

The project is part of a county-wide network of 53 cameras which was launched yesterday by crime commissioner Richard Rhodes.

The contract is worth £2.5million over the next seven years.

Jonty Chippendale, owner of the Toy Shop on Main Street, said: It's just another example of how Cockermouth gets short-changed.

"We only see a police officer in town if they're going to get their Greggs sandwich.

"We only have one police community support officer and yet we pay the same police precept as everybody else.

"I'm disappointed, it's just another of a continuous stream of examples where Cockermouth doesn't get the same care as other parts of the region."

Councillor Eric Nicholson said: "Obviously we would like to have CCTV but with budgets being cut and Cockermouth not having massive trouble we weren't included. 

"If more funding became available, hopefully we'll be able to have them.

"If the CCTV are remotely accessible from police cars, that would be a benefit with police officers being deployed form other police stations."

The number and location of cameras throughout Cumbria was decided following analysis of incidents dealt with by police, consultation with neighbourhood policing teams and the funding opportunities provided by the office of the police and crime commissioner, district councils, and Cumbria Constabulary.

Mr Rhodes added: "The CCTV system has been designed in a way that means it can be expanded in the future if or when additional funding can be secured."

Chief Constable Jerry Graham said: "CCTV is one of a number of important tools we can use to help solve crime and keep our local communities safe.

"The new system will provide consistent and improved CCTV coverage across Cumbria.

"CCTV acts as a deterrent for would-be criminals, helps track offenders and gather evidence."