SECURITY could be stepped up in Priory Park when Southend's famous bandstand is moved in time for next year's summer season.

The bandstand has been in storage since the cliffs landslip in 2002, but Southend's council cabinet yesterday agreed proposals to move it to the park for the medium term.

However, the work on the cliffs is expected to cost up to £32million, which has sparked fears Priory Park could become the long-term resting place for the bandstand, if funding can't be found.

Critics also believe the bandstand could be a target for vandals, as the park has suffered a series of incidents of criminal damage in recent months.

There have been complaints about increasing amounts of antisocial behaviour since the council decided to leave the gates open at night.

David Garston, councillor responsible for culture, said: "I have some concerns about security and would like officers to look at this very closely.

"It is also important to point out this is not a long-term solution and it is only a way of making our lovely bandstand available to the public in the short term.

"We are putting it in our prestige park, but this cannot take the place of the cliffs and we will continue to work to ensure this is where it belongs."