EVERY taxi driver should have cameras installed in their car, a campaigner has argued.

Kevin Holmes, chairman of the Bournemouth Taxi Trade Association, spoke out after two drivers were allegedly robbed at knifepoint in the early hours of Sunday morning.

It is claimed both victims were asked to stop near St Clement’s Church in Boscombe before they were allegedly threatened.

During the second incident, which happened at around 3.30am, the victim - a man in his 50s - was able to run away.

The taxi was set alight in nearby Aylesbury Road.

Mr Holmes, who said both victims will be left with “psychological scars for life” as a result of the robberies, said: “I understand there might be CCTV from one of the taxis, so we’re all hoping for that.

“It makes the case for the council to say that every taxi should be fitted with CCTV from now on.”

Drivers are vulnerable to such attacks, he said.

“I’m sure there’ll be more to come before Christmas and the new year,” he said.

The Bournemouth Echo spoke to two drivers who asked not to be named. The first said the attack was the talk of the taxi driving community but most drivers agreed it was ‘very rare’ in the town.

“Although you can be quite vulnerable in this job, Bournemouth is generally a safe place to work and that’s what makes it so surprising,” he said.

A second driver agreed, saying the town was a good place to work. “I’ve been here 35 years and never really seen or heard of anything like that,” he said.

He believed the attack occurred because the perpetrators saw taxi drivers as an easy way to get money for Christmas. However, he said he didn’t think he’d leave his vehicle or hand over his money if threatened by anyone. “I’d fight them for it,” he said.

He didn’t believe that CCTV would make ‘any difference’ in helping to reduce attacks on drivers. “Probably the only think that would really scare them is a machine gun!” he joked.