A mum-to-be has said the lack of street lighting on a main pathway into Southampton’s Outdoor Sports Centre is an “accident waiting to happen".

Kim Hall says the council needs to do more to appropriately light the path, on Dunkirk Road, which she described as an "extremely risk place".

The 37-year-old, who is eight-and-a-half months pregnant, is a coach of Jaguars Netball Club, which plays home games and trains at the sports centre.

The weekly club sees women aged 18 and above hone their passion for the sport they love every Wednesday from 7pm, but members of the group have raised concerns over the lack of street lighting at the Dunkirk Road entrance to the sports centre.

Although there are lampposts situated alongside the path, Kim said the lights have been off for the last two weeks, meaning she and other team members have been forced to enter the sports centre in complete darkness.

Speaking to the Echo, she said: “It’s an accident waiting to happen. Women are often told to stay away from unlit areas at night and all of a sudden, the main route into the park is pitch black.

“It’s not so bad when you’re walking out and there’s a group of you but when you’re walking in on your own it can be quite eerie.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if it put people off wanting to come to the park.”

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Streetlights lining the pathway at the Dunkirk Road entrance to Southampton Outdoor Sports Centre (Image: Newsquest) Kim, who travels to the sports centre from Romsey, has called on Southampton City Council to resolve the issue and ensure the Dunkirk Road entrance to the sports centre is well-lit in the future.

She said: “I think the council should do more. It’s so dark when you’re walking into the park, you don’t know if there’s a hazard you’re going to trip over or if there’s other people around you.”

Fellow netball coach, Tash Willard, added: “The sports centre is used by a number of vulnerable people including lone women, people with disabilities, and children.

“The fact there is no lighting and the fact the paths are uneven make it an extremely risky place at the moment. Having to put extra measures in place to keep people safe should not be happening for this long.”

Southampton City Council says it ‘understands residents concerns’

In a statement, a council spokesperson said: “We understand the concerns raised by residents and users of the Outdoor Sports Centre regarding street lighting. Over the past few years, our teams have carried out numerous repairs to these lights, however, we have identified problems that require further investigation.

“The Outdoor Sports Centre is soon to benefit from a wide masterplan of improvements, which includes a comprehensive upgrade to the site's lighting.

“Specifically, the new woodland car park will feature new lighting, as will the areas around the new buildings, such as the Hub building, and the family zone.

“While the spine road (central access route) lighting will be upgraded rather than fully replaced at this time, overall lighting across the site is set to be improved significantly.

“The works to the sports centre are due to begin in spring. We are committed to upgrading the lighting at the sports centre to ensure a safe and well-lit environment for all residents and users of the sports centre.”