Those living on the first floor don’t usually have to worry about people peering in – but one woman was shocked to find an Islington Council CCTV camera trained on her bedroom window.

Stella Michael, 48, has lived in Junction Road, Archway, for 14 years and for the last five has seen a security camera sitting on a pole outside the windows to her bedroom and living room.

She always assumed it was fixed to point away from her flat, but twice in the last week she has seen it not only swoop past in a full circle, but pause to “look” inside her home.

She said: “I was standing in my front room and suddenly thought: ‘oh my god – It’s pointing straight into living room.’ I was shocked. How long has it been doing that? I dread to think what it might have seen. Imagine if the phone was ringing and I had rushed out of bed to pick it up without dressing?

“We don’t have curtains on those windows because we are on the first floor so it is really disturbing.

“I always assumed it physically would not be able to look into our windows but now it is obvious this isn’t the case. The direction is electronically controlled so someone has taken the decision this be changed. Or – even worse – we haven’t noticed until now and it has been happening all along.

I am outraged and appalled, and have no idea who I would speak with to insist this is changed. Is this a violation of human rights? Or am I being naive?”

Islington Council recently set aside £2million to upgrade the borough’s CCTV system.

A spokesman for the council said the camera was faulty and the footage was not being monitored or recorded.

Cllr Paul Convery, Islington Council’s executive member for community safety, said: “This camera recently developed a mechanical fault which is being fixed.

“The camera is now pointing towards the street again, as usual, and can still be operated manually to monitor crime or anti-social behaviour in Junction Road. I’d like to thank this resident for reporting the fault.

“Our CCTV network of 170 cameras plays a major part in combating crime and anti-social behaviour and has helped bring many criminals to justice.”