Calls for lights in Oxford park after Sarah Everard death

South Park is on the edge of Oxford city centre

A campaign for lights to be installed in a city park has been reignited following Sarah Everard's death.

A group of students from Oxford Brookes University launched a petition calling for Oxford City Council to illuminate a path in South Park.

Students said it was "impossible to even see your feet" while walking at night in the park, which is a route to the university's campus.

The council said there was "already a fully-lit, safe route" nearby.

The petition, which has more than 1,500 signatures, called on the council to install lights along a length of the path at the top of the park "as a matter of priority".

It follows an earlier petition in 2019, which called for "proper lighting in South Park", after "a number of attacks".

Charlie Imm said the park was "not safe" at night

Charlie Imm, a third year law student, told the BBC the park was "not the place you'd want to be if you were by yourself, especially as a woman".

She added lights would make her feel "a lot safer" walking through the park at night.

Bea Parry, a third year history student, said the death of Ms Everard had "really solidified the danger of places like this".

Bea Parry said Sarah Everard's death had "solidified" the dangers people face walking alone at night

Ms Everard went missing while walking home from a friend's house on 3 March in London. Her body was later found in woodland in Kent.

Her death prompted women across the country to share and discuss their own experiences of walking the streets and the lengths they went to to feel safe.

Councillor Linda Smith, cabinet member for leisure and parks, said the alternative route via Warneford Lane and Cheney Lane was "a little over 200m longer" than walking through South Park.

She said it would be difficult to justify the "significant cost" and "environmental impact" of installing lighting.