Residents left in darkness as they await replacement street light

Skellingthorpe residents have been in the dark waiting for a replacement street light for around a year.

Some villagers say they feel unsafe when going out at night as a result.

Around a year ago, Lincolnshire County Council officers made the decision to remove one of the street lamps on The Hill after they spotted a crack in its base.

The action was undertaken due to safety concerns, but has also left the whole residential area with just two street lights along the roadside.

Many residents have since noticed that the cul-de-sac has become “darker than usual” and some say they feel unsafe when going out at night as a result.

The Hill, Skellingthorpe

One man, who wanted to remain anonymous, said: “Quite simply, it’s all elderly people here. One day, one of us are going to have a fall and no one’s going to know.

“It’s been a pain without these lights. If you go out at night, like I do with my dog, you can’t see if anyone is in front of your house.

“None of us are healthy here, that’s why we have these bungalows. It’s a security thing at the end of the day.”

Robin Hall, 52, claims that the cloud of darkness has also led to an increase in anti-social behaviour along the road.

He went on to recall one incident where he caught an individual with a torch snooping around the outside of a neighbours house.

Robin Hall, 52, wants to see lights restored | Photo: LDRS/The Lincolnite

Mr Hall continued: “We need more lights in the darker corners of the street and at the start of the road.”

The 52-year-old also believes that fences should be put up in front of each property and CCTV cameras should be installed on the street corners.

A spokesperson from Lincolnshire County Council told The Lincolnite: “There are three lighting columns on the Hill, Skellingthorpe, all of them made from concrete.

“Unfortunately, one of them had to be removed because LCC officers discovered a crack in its base. This action was undertaken due to safety concerns around the column’s structural integrity.