A STANMORE resident is urging county chiefs to keep Winchester street lights turned on throughout the night.

Hampshire County Council started to switch off residential road lamps between 1am and 4am back in April in a bid to save £230,000 a year.

But now, Jess Hatt, of Battery Hill, has started a petition to reverse the changes – and already has 480 signatures.

She says she became motivated after being woken up by a loud roaring sound at around 1.20am back in November.

Jess said: "I woke to hear a loud roaring sound which sounded like a car was struggling to start or the clutch was burning out. I opened my bedroom window to see a car hovering outside and two men got in the back of a silver estate and drove off up Battery Hill.

"Because the council have turned the street lights off it was hard to see to identity or see what was actually happening at the time.

"My poor neighbour who has poor mobility now cannot drive his car or access many places until his it is repaired."

The decision to switch off the lights for three hours every night came after a consultation which saw 5,444 residents’ responses and 141 from organisations including as businesses and schools. More than two-thirds of responses were in favour.

Ms Hatt added: "Whatever next, is Winchester even a safe place to live in anymore? What about individuals who work night shifts, for example NHS workers?

"Is it acceptable they have to walk in the pitch black to get back to their house anything could happen to them? I start to question the safety of our neighbourhood and how this must make vulnerable individuals feel such as pensioners and the disabled."

The petition can be accessed at: www.bit.ly/363BDIj.