Members of the Stevenage and North Herts Fawcett Society took to the streets on Friday night to gauge women's safety ahead of International Women's Day.

The group overwhelmingly found that the lack of street lighting after midnight in some areas made them feel much less safe while walking the streets.

Chair of the group, Teresa Callaghan, told the Comet: "It was a fact finding exercise really - I don't know how often you go out in Stevenage after midnight, but not many of us do it.

"There were 12 of us in total and we split into groups and went to different areas of the town - it was really interesting.

"The key point we found is how pitch black it is. In Stevenage in particular, in the Old Town, there's lots of alleyways which are very dark.

"Lots of uneven paving slabs and potholes which in the dark is very dangerous.

"We saw a lot of single men out, but we didn't meet one woman. Women for their own feeling of safety won't go out. Statistically, if there's an assault, it's men on other men."

The safety of women and girls has been at the forefront in the news over the last year, following the murder of Sarah Everard by serving Met Police officer Wayne Couzens.

Teresa went on to say that Herts County Council - which is responsible for street lighting - has said there's been no increase in crime, or crime against women, and so "they think they are justified".

"It's just forcing women indoors," she continued. "It's been instilled in women that it's unsafe - the lights being on would give women more confidence and break down that barrier."

County councillor for Stevenage Phil Bibby said: “Hertfordshire County Council has always been conscious of and concerned about some people’s, particularly women’s, perception of being unsafe when lights are switched off at night.

"So we have worked closely with the police since we first formulated our Part Night Lighting strategy, and sought their advice. Thankfully, it is just a perception, and we have not seen crime increase, nor residents in any greater danger where there is no lighting between 1am and 5am.

"LED lighting allows us to be more flexible and, if the local chief inspector and county councillor ask us to turn lights on at particular locations to combat a real danger of increased crime, we will seriously consider the local circumstances.

"Also, local councillors can request that we provide extended lighting up times around key hubs, such as entertainment, transport and hospitals."

Members of the Fawcett Society will attend Knebworth Park on Saturday, marking International Women's Day by remembering suffragette Lady Constance Lytton.