PARENTS fear for their children’s safety and are calling for better street lighting throughout Wickford.

They say since the clocks went back families are having to use torches to get round parts of the town... even at 5pm.

Mum Anna Shrammel said that her and her two children feel in danger when walking through certain parts of Wickford.

The 36-year-old who had walked over the railway crossing on Beauchamps Drive and Alicia Avenue before telling the Echo: “It was only 5pm and we had to use torches. We have to do this every time.

“How are we supposed to see anything.”

The mum-of-two added: “We use that crossing every day, sometimes more than once up to 9pm.

“There are never any lights.

“It’s frustrating we need to escort and meet the kids.

“They don’t want to walk along there by themselves. They’re big enough kids, they’re 11 and 14. I have to walk with them every time.

“We need this to be raised with the council.”

Ms Shrammel called for more lights in that area and across the town. She added: “If there were more lights there it would make everyone feel much more comfortable.

“Everyone has the same problem down there.”

Meanwhile, the Echo reported on Monday that there had been a delay in streetlights in Basildon being kept on all night, after a deal was struck with Essex County Council to end part-night lighting in the borough.

But a spokesman for the authority has now confirmed lights would be turned on all night from tonight.

The spokesman said: “Officers from Basildon and Essex County councils have been working together to make the necessary operational arrangements to make this happen.

“We are pleased to say that street lighting engineers from the county council will start switching the lights control system back to all night from [tonight], a process that may take a few days, with the first streets lit throughout the night over Friday night and Saturday morning.”

Essex County Council were contacted for a statement.