RESIDENTS say they fear for their safety every time they have to use a poorly-lit path in Westcliff at night.

Local women in particular say they are nervous to use the Victory Path, near Chalkwell station and Crowstone Avenue, in the early evenings.

The problem was raised at a Chalkwell Neighbourhood Action Panel meeting.

Ruth Verrinder, from the Chalkwell group of churches, said she noticed the problem when she used the path at about 7pm to walk her son to the tennis courts.

She said: “I was absolutely terrified walking down there, because it was so dark.”

Rosaline Walker, of Chalkwell Residents’ Association, said: “When you get to the middle of that path, you can’t see either end.

“Although I’ve walked that path many, many times, I still don’t like it, even in the daylight.

“Once you get to the middle, there’s probably someone following you and you can’t see the end.”

PC Chris Abbott, neighbourhood specialist officer for Chalkwell Marine, said improving lighting along the path had been considered, but was considered too expensive.

He added: “The lighting down there is yellow.

“It may be a change to white lights would make it brighter, but to be bright enough, the lighting down there would need to be doubled.”

However, PC Abbott pointed out no actual incidents had been reported on the path.

He said: “The extent of the problems we’ve had is groups of people sitting on the bench, making a bit of noise.”

PC Abbott agreed to provide Southend councillor Ian Robertson with a copy of the report on upgrading the lights, to see if anything might be done.