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BIG Brother is now watching you separating your rubbish at Knutsford tip.

The Household Waste Recycling Centre in Mobberley Road has been equipped with CCTV cameras and loud hailers.

But Cheshire County Council, which is responsible for the site, said the technology would not be used to scold people for putting plastics in with cardboard.

A spokesman said they were a security measure to protect the site when it was closed.

"If somebody went on the site after hours it will be checked out on the CCTV and they will be asked to leave the site," she said.

"Obviously whoever that person is will be captured on CCTV and if they do not leave they can be reported to the police."

The tip can now be monitored from the on-site office and also a remote station run by private company HW Martin, which took over the running of the tip on February 1.

Council bosses said the installation of CCTV cameras was a condition of the operation contract.

"It is a cheap and effective way of securing the site," said the spokesman.

"We are installing it at all our household waste recycling centres."

She said the operators would not be able to disturb the sleep of those living in Montmorency Road or Keepers Close by shouting too loudly at intruders.

"The volume can be set at a suitable level for the surroundings," she said.

But she said it was unlikely that operators would be exchanging pleasantries with any trespassers.

"They shouldn't be on the site anyway so they will be told to leave," she said.

HW Martin is based in Derbyshire, but has CCTV monitoring stations dotted around the area.

Steve Pollard, business development manager, said the security measures also benefited his company.

"We have got some valuable equipment on the site," he said.

"You do get people who take it upon themselves to get in these places and cause vandalism. Some sites are far worse than others."

A worker at the Knutsford tip said he expected the cameras to be useful.

"There are problems with kids coming in," he said.

"The speakers are now there to shout at people who shouldn't be in here."

10:15am Tuesday 4th March 2008

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