Skipton will become a safer place to live and work after the final cameras were installed for the town's CCTV system this week.

The cameras, which should help identify shoplifters and public order offenders, have been requested by local businesses and residents for many years.

Once again it is mainly the small local retailers who have dug in their pockets to help fund the system, with only a handful of the national firms contributing towards the costs.

Out of 33 companies which pledged money, only five were multinationals despite the number of shoplifting offences increasing in the town centre and two armed robberies this year.

Bill Houghton, who has been co-ordinating the fundraising on behalf of the Craven Community Safety Partnership, said: "We are very disappointed at the response from the multiples, and, if they do not come forward with pledges shortly, we intend to write to the chairmen of their individual companies.

"However, there has been an excellent response from small businesses, including some who are not even within the CCTV coverage area. But they want to support this community effort unlike some of the mutiples."

The cameras have been installed, and only work that now remains is the final British Telecom link into the Harrogate CCTV monitoring centre, system testing and any final adjustments.

Mick Cartledge, Craven District Council's head of economic and community development who was instrumental in obtaining Home Office funding, said: "If everything goes to plan with these final stages, the system should be live in two weeks' time."

Chairman of the Community Safety Partnership Beryl Beresford added: "The run up to Christmas is often a period when shoplifting and disorder in the town centre increases, but this year the police will be able to identify and respond to any problems at an early stage and have evidence for use after any incident."

The seven cameras have been dotted around town and are located on Caroline Square, Keighley Road, in the town hall car park, at the junction of High Street and Mill Bridge, in Waller Hill car park, Cavendish Street car park, and in Coach Street car park.

Skipton was knocked back twice for funding for the CCTV system but on the third attempt £128,000 was secured from the Home Office by the Craven Community Safety Partnership, in January this year.

Aside from the £128,000 the partnership is looking to other businesses, which will benefit from the system, to raise the rest of the capital costs and running costs.

Financial pledges have been received from: Skipton Building Society, Skipton Town Council, British Waterways, Skipton Market Traders Association, Skipton Chamber of Trade, Bradford and Bingley Building Society, Slaters, George Fisher, Wright Wine Company, Craven Pharmacy, Pottery and Pine Ltd, Thomas's, Craven Herald, Fractions, David Goldie, C and H Brown, Sunwin House, Le Caveau, Broughton Group Limited, Walker Foster Varley, Shepherd Baker, Wilman and Lodge, Maple Leaf Images, David Hill Surveyors, Auctioneers and Valuers, Neil Rankin Travel Services, Dyneley House Surgery, Craven Court, Skipton Holy Trinity Church, Dalesway News, Lloyds TSB, Clifford Benjamin, and pledges of support from Craven Neighbourhood Watch Group and SCAD.