Women across Weston have said they do not feel safe in the town after the death of Sarah Everard sparked nationwide concerns about the safety of women on the streets.

Vigils were organised across the country in response to the death of Ms Everard, who was last seen in Clapham, in south London, on March 3, but many events were moved online after organisers of a London vigil lost their legal challenge in the High Court against a police ban.

The Mercury conducted a survey asking readers how safe they feel in their area. Almost 400 responses were received when the Mercury went to press.

When asked if people feel safe in their area, 41 per cent said some of the time and 16 per cent said not at all, compared to 37 per cent who answered most of the time and only six per cent feel safe all of the time.

Only 25 per cent of respondents feel safe when walking or travelling alone, with 75 per cent feeling unsafe. Many people said they felt unsafe walking through Weston town centre at night and often avoid doing so due to poor street lighting, antisocial behaviour, 'rude and aggressive drunks', 'dodgy blokes lurking on the streets' and fears over knife crime.

One person told the Mercury: "I’ve been attacked on the street before by men. Walking home alone can be terrifying as you never know what the person behind you is thinking or what they’re going to do.

"They could be a perfectly normal person just walking home like you but the sad fact is that it’s become so common place for woman to be attacked just walking home that it’s difficult to see how that would change."

Another respondent said: "Women should be made to feel safe walking the streets, perhaps set up safe stations around Weston for women to make emergency contact, I know it would feel safer knowing where to go to if I’m scared."

Another person said they feel 'less safe' in Weston 'than ever before.

They told the Mercury: "As a young woman, I would not feel comfortable to walk at night unaccompanied. It’s a shame and we should not have to feel this way.

"Due to increased crime in surrounding areas, including assaults, stabbings, muggings and break-ins, I now feel less safe in the town I grew up in than I ever have before."

People from across Weston came together to stand against street and gender-based violence on the weekend.

A Zoom event on Saturday night drew together more than 50 people from across the town in memory of Sarah Everard and all others who have been victims of street and gender-based violence. Beginning with a doorstep vigil, candles were lit and a moment of reflection was taken before a gathering took place online.

Participants heard from a number of speakers who spoke of their experiences of gender-based and street violence, including homophobic abuse on the streets of Weston.

Women’s experiences on the streets of Weston have been collected and will be displayed in the window of Brunello Lounge until they are allowed to reopen in April.

This exhibition will serve as a reminder that harassment is not just something that happens to other people, and that all women have experienced feeling unsafe at some point in their lives.

Event organisers Nyika Suttie, Farhath Siddiqui and Sophie Shepherd said: “We are so excited to see so many people come together for this cause, and to hear so many people bravely and candidly share these stories.

"Everybody stood together to spread the message that everybody should feel safe walking home and in their own homes.

"A Weston-super-Mare Reclaim These Streets group will be formed and a march planned for the summer. Everyone should feel safe to walk any street at any time of night.”

Those interested in joining the group should search Weston-super-Mare Reclaim These Streets Group on Facebook.