Hastings woman's petition prompts £200k park safety improvement

Kay Early (left) and Claire Noble (right) campaigned for safety improvements in Alexandra Park

A woman who was attacked while walking through a park has successfully campaigned to have safety improvements installed there.

Kay Early was repeatedly punched and kicked by a man in Alexandra Park in Hastings in June 2020.

Ms Early and her friend Claire Noble launched a petition to improve park safety, which attracted 20,000 signatures.

Hastings Borough Council has now spent £208,000 installing lights and CCTV.

The funding was awarded by the Home Office following a joint bid by the council and the office of the Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner to help tackle violence against women and girls.

Ms Early identified her attacker at a police line-up, but the case was dropped when there was no evidence to place her attacker at the scene, such as CCTV footage.

New safety measures at the park include lights and CCTV

Due to funding and the lack of electricity in the upper part of park, the area where Ms Early was attacked was not included in the improvements.

Ms Early praised the measures but said there was still more to be done and she would "have to walk along a path that still isn't monitored, that still isn't lit, knowing that it could happen again."

Ms Noble said: "I'm glad our campaign has raised awareness of the issue of violence against girls and women."

She added: "Whilst the current work shows progress, there is still lots more that can be done to ensure not only safer spaces but also a safer community."

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