The Town Pastors helping keep people safe at night

The Town Pastors communicate with Dorset Police throughout the night

Safety on the streets at night has been a hot topic of conversation in one seaside town this summer. We spent an evening with Bournemouth Street Pastors to see how they keep people safe on a night out.

Amid comments on social media saying there is not enough of a safety presence, every weekend the group patrol the Dorset town in search of people needing help.

Dorset Police is working to reduce anti-social behaviour but the force has not endorsed a new group of volunteers called Safeguard Force, who this month began patrolling the town at night.

On Friday, we met the Town Pastors at a local church for an induction to prepare for the evening ahead.

After a team prayer, two members packed items into a bag, including hair bands, sick bags and a foil blanket - three items that prove vital for an incident we witnessed at the end of the night.

We left the church at 22:00 BST and headed to Old Christchurch Road - a popular location for students, locals and visitors.

The pastors stop at each pub, bar and strip club on the way to check in with the door staff.

Chris McDermott, leading the group, explained they were looking out for "anyone who is on their own or looks a bit lost".

Her husband, Gary said all volunteers are trained and DBS checked.

"They have to undergo five training modules, which include safeguarding and bystander training," he said.

"We walk round to try and make people safe and we are here to offer practical help in whatever way that can be."

Lucy and Chris go on patrol once a month

At the top of the road at about 23:00, we meet a group of friends who had come from Lymington for a night out.

One of the young men said he feels safe on a night out, explaining: "It's not as bad as everyone makes out. It's lively and there are police officers patrolling the streets.

I spoke to a woman in the group who said she feels differently.

"If I wasn't with my boy mates right now I would feel unsafe because a lot of people are cat calling and don't know boundaries which is scary," she told me.

"I have been followed," she said, adding: "Also, in the club, things have happened that I wouldn't necessarily say are right, like touching."

We reached the other side of town at 02:00 and found a group of girls, one of whom appeared to be unconscious, slumped on the ground outside a kebab shop.

Gary, who has a radio link to Dorset Police and local security, asked for officers to assist. They arrived promptly.

Chris then called an ambulance that arrived within half an hour and, once the paramedics took over, the Town Pastors left.

The team prays before heading out on patrol

The hair bands, sick bag and foil blanket were pulled out of the bag packed earlier.

"We put the foil blanket over her because we laid her on the floor," said Lucy. "It helped keep her warm and also gave her some of her dignity back.

"Even if the work we do helps one individual on one night, it gives people the reassurance if they walk past and see us doing that work.

"They might not ever think they'll be in that position but they don't know what the next night out could bring."