STREETLIGHTS are back on in a bid to reassure residents after a night of car fires and vandalism - but calls have been made to keep them on for the next six months.

Tendring councillors Jo Henderson and Maria Fowler asked for streetlights in the Parkeston Road area in Dovercourt to be turned back temporarily last week.

It came after car owners were forced to watch on as their vehicles were engulfed in flames outside their homes and many others were left damaged.

Police and fire crews were called to various bin, skip and car fires and vehicles were damaged in The Haven, Pound Farm Drive and Main Road areas along with Parkeston Road.

Mrs Henderson said: “Tendring’s district commander Russ Cole sent me a message to say they would be on from that Friday night.

“I am a bit concerned though as we are told if we need them on they can get them on but this happened on Sunday night and the lights weren’t back on until Friday.”

“But a resident I spoke to was really pleased.”

The councillor expects the lights to be on for a week but is concerned it won’t be enough to deter criminals and help residents feel safe again.

She added: “I don’t think a week is long enough. It should be for the summer period really, the weather gets nice and the criminals come out.

“I’d like to see the lights back on for six months.

“It starts getting light at 3.30am so it’s not that many more hours a day.

“Six months would be nice to reassure residents.”

An Essex County Council spokesman said: “The safety of Essex residents is of utmost importance and we will listen to any request from the police on an individual basis if there are concerns about safety in an area covered by part night lighting.

“Following a request from Essex Police, we have agreed to restore all-night lighting for a limited time to roads in parts of Harwich.” to help reassure the community and aid with police activity in the area.

“The council continues to work with Essex Police to monitor any patterns of crime, anti-social behaviour and road collisions that could be linked to part night lighting across the county.”