THE CCTV system that watches over Newport city centre has obsolete equipment that is failure-prone and at risk of flood damage, a report to council chiefs says.

In the eight months leading up to March this year cameras suffered 59 break-downs. Some were out of action for days.

A report to Newport council blames old-style cabling and dated kit that is becoming increasingly expensive to repair.

It also said the 'nerve centre' of the council-run CCTV scheme, based in cramped offices in Corn Street, needs relocating.

The basement is prone to flooding and if water hit cabling the system could go down, public protection officer Mandy Bishop said.

The scrutiny forum for community safety approved a six month review of the CCTV to consider a total overhaul.

Possibilities include new fibre optic wiring for all cameras and a new HQ where schools' CCTV and any cameras outside the city centre would also be monitored.

Scrutiny chairman Councillor Bob Poole said: "Things have moved on since we first installed CCTV.

"We now need an in-depth look at what we want out of it." Costs are unclear but a similar overhaul in Enfield cost £2.1m. The council pioneered CCTV by installing the second system in the UK in 1994.

The pedestrianised area of the centre is now covered by 39 cameras and had a budget last year of £350,000.

The council's public protection team will look into the feasibility of a new 24 hour, 365 days a year Community Safety Operations Centre.