AN injured woman has called for street lights to be switched back on after losing her footing in the darkness and falling to the pavement.

Barbara Hazell, 76, of Tudor Green in Jaywick, was walking home at 12.30am on Sunday morning in the pitch black after seeing a show at her local pub.

Streetlights in her area are now switched off from midnight to 5am.

Despite carrying a torch she stumbled and fell in the darkness.

Barbara was left with a black eye and a cut to her face, as well as grazes and bruising on her hand and down the right side of her body, which took the brunt of the fall.

She said: “We had a torch but our area is just completely black. You can’t see a thing.

“I hadn’t been drinking and I was being careful to watch my step, but when it is dark like that incidents are going to happen."

Jaywick councillor Dan Casey called for a re-think on the switch off scheme following the incident.

Essex County Council is currently listening to feedback from residents across the area about the part-night lighting scheme.

People can report areas and streetlights they think should be brought back into action for council consideration.