SPY cameras hailed as the latest weapon in the armoury against crime in Govanhill have gone live.

The Evening Times first told last year how local residents had asked for 24-hour surveillance due to fears of rising crime rates in the area.

Cameras should have been switched on last September but the installation was hit with delays.

The state-of-the-art cameras have now been successfully tested by telecommunications firm BT and they are up and running.

Local councillor Soryia Siddique said: "I welcome the update from Community Safety Glasgow regarding the camera installation progress.

"Glasgow City Council has made a significant investment in the area based on community aspirations.

"I look forward to the positive impact the cameras will have on residents' lives."

The new cameras will be monitored live from the Glasgow Operations Centre at Eastgate.

Camera operators will work closely with the local police and other agencies in order to tackle community safety and environmental concerns within the area.

Community Safety Glasgow said anyone with concerns about privacy can see a copy of its CCTV Code of Practice on the Community Safety Glasgow website www.communitysafetyglasgow.org

Cameras are installed at seven hotspots, including Victoria Road, Alison Street, Calder Street, Dixon Avenue, Annette Street, Garturk Street, Langside Road and Westmoreland Street.

A council spokesman said a "five-figure sum" had been spent on the CCTV.