RESIDENTS claim they are scared to go out at night with so many lights broken and violence on the streets.

People living on the Chalvendon Estate, near Wickford Avenue and Travers Way, Pitsea claim lights have been out for about three months and it has resulted in a rise in crime.

There have been two stabbing incidents nearby since the lights were broken.

Jane Green, 42, said: “It has become quite menacing, I feel that I am stuck in my home during the evening as I do not want to go out because of the crime that has been taking place here.

“There have been the stabbings, which is very frightening and I am concerned for my family.

“There have also been issues of antisocial behaviour such nasty name calling, people jumping over our garden fence and once our fence was even set alight.

“Something needs to be done very soon.”

There have been two incidents of extreme violence which have increased fears.

On Sunday, March 25 police were called to reports a man was stabbed in the stomach in Travers Way.

Essex Police arrested a man on suspicion of attempted murder after another man was also stabbed in Basildon.

In another incident a man suffered five stab wounds after breaking up an altercation allegedly between two teenage boys.

Police were called to reports of a stabbing near Wickford Avenue in Pitsea at 7.32pm on April 17.

The crimes are being investigated.

Ms Green said she feels as if she is housebound due to the crime being committed.

She added: “I am worried about the crime getting worse on the estate and I think that we should not be put at risk like this.

“We have reported the lights to Essex County Council but nothing has been done about the issue.”

Essex Police declined to comment on whether there had been a rise in violence on the estate since the lights stopped working.

A spokesman for Essex County Council said: “We regret there have been a number of lights not working in this area, and our engineers have been working on some of them this week.

“So far we have found only standard faults such as failed lamps, so we are able to make straightforward repairs.”