CCTV and number plate recognition equipment is set to be installed on the village centre at Purton in the wake of repeated incidents of antisocial behaviour.

The parish council this week won a £4,612 from the Royal Wootton Bassett and Cricklade Area Board towards the £9,225 cost of the kit.

Ray Thomas, who chairs the council, told the board panel on Wednesday evening that the centre had been suffering problems with anti-social behaviour from youths for some time.

“We have looked at all sorts of ways to try and protect it,” he said.

“The only thing we can come up with, as advised by the police, is CCTV.”

Royal Wootton Bassett town councillor Sue Hughes said anti-social activity was definitely a problem all over the area and asked if Purton was currently taking any action to deal with it.

Mr Thomas told her they had installed a Mosquito anti-loitering device, which was supposed to deter young people by emitting a sound at high frequency that only they could hear. But it had not worked.

The police were asked to patrol regularly and did so but the problem was catching the youths and finding out who they were.

“We get a lot of people coming in from outside the area,” he added.

In its grant application the parish council said the centre was at the core of the community, providing facilities that were used by the Brownies, Scouts and Guides, football teams, bowls players and yoga fans as well as a pitch and putt.

It also had a children’s play area and supported the Red House Club, which ran social events.

“Following other local councils we have decided to continue to provide amazing facilities for the community, but with the added safety and security sadly needed in today’s climate," he said.

"Police recommendations are that CCTV is the way forward.”

Bob Jones, Wiltshire councillor for Cricklade, said his area suffered similar issues.

“I’m in favour of you having the grant but I think you will still have anti-social behaviour,” he said.

He pointed out that even though

Cricklade has CCTV, he said, but there were still problems there.

Jacqui Lay, Purton’s Wiltshire councillor, said there were a lot of facilities at the centre that were vulnerable if youngsters gathered and got out of hand.

“There is nowhere else where they can do as much damage as they can there,” she said.