Basildon town centre CCTV cameras would have captured the moments a man was murdered - but they have been out of action for two months.

Our picture shows tributes tied to a post in Market Pavement near where Jay Clarke, 30, slumped to the ground a week ago today after being stabbed.

The sign above the flowers says: "You're on film! CCTV cameras in 24-hour use."

In fact the town's CCTV network has not been working for at least eight weeks. An updated system is to be launched next week.

A police officer, who asked not to be named, said the network had been unreliable before being taken out of action.

He added: "We invariably make use of images from the shops and banks as most of them have CCTV.

"Hopefully the new system will make a huge difference to our investigations."

Deputy council leader Tony Ball said: "The CCTV network hasn't been working for at least two months. Hopefully the new system will be launched next week."

Labour group leader Nigel Smith said: "We don't know what was behind the recent stabbing incident, so we don't know whether the CCTV system would have helped to stop it. But surely it would have been beneficial for the police investigation to have that footage."

Police have been hampered with the lack of video footage while Basildon Council's new £160,000 CCTV network has been installed.

It is hoped the new system will go live next week although it is unlikely the control room, based at the Basildon Centre, will be permanently manned.

Mr Smith said he had repeatedly complained about the inadequacies of the old system and has already expressed grave concerns about the new cameras not being properly monitored.

He said: "We want to prevent incidents, which means 24-hour monitoring like Southend's CCTV system."

The new system will record on to high quality video discs rather than outdated VHS tapes and will link up Basildon, Billericay and Wickford shopping centres using satellite masts.

A council spokesman said there had been "sporadic interruptions" to the CCTV service in recent weeks.

However, sources confirmed the entire system was disabled.

* Gary Rosier, 46, of Woodstock Crescent, Laindon, has been charged with Mr Clarke's murder and is on remand. He will next appear in court on Tuesday October 3 for a preliminary hearing.