England needs more police on the streets, says Liz
Actress Liz Hurley has called for more police on the beat – saying she feels safer in the US than the UK.
The model, who was robbed at knifepoint by four teenage girls eight years ago, is helping to launch a drive by the magazine Woman’s Own for women to feel safer on Britain’s streets.
“We definitely need a stronger police presence on the streets,” she said.
“It’s rare to see them at all now. In America, uniformed cops eat in coffee shops, diners and restaurants, and I always feel safer having them around.
“This would be an easy change to make in the UK and I think we should do it.”
Her comments came as actress Joan Collins announced that she was quitting London for the Upper East Side of Manhattan in New York, because she feels threatened.
The actress, who was born and raised in north London and for many years lived in Belgravia, told the Mail On Sunday: “I don’t feel comfortable walking the few hundred yards from my flat round the corner to my hairdresser’s.
“Groups of muggers are frequently attacking people in the area where I live in London. And the police don’t appear to be able to do anything about it. My two girls can’t even walk down the street during the day without the possibility of something unpleasant happening.”
Hurley, who was robbed of £10 and some photographs during the incident in west London, also offered advice to women who are in fear of becoming a victim of crime.
“My advice to people who feel nervous on the streets is to always wear gym shoes when walking anywhere and to run as fast as possible the moment you begin to feel nervous.
“If I had done this, I wouldn’t have been mugged. Don’t worry about feeling cowardly – just get the hell out of there, shouting at the same time,” the 37-year-old celebrity mother told Woman’s Own September issue.
Tony Blair has also given his backing to the campaign.
The Prime Minister said: “I congratulate Woman’s Own for this campaign, which has the full backing of the police and the Home Office.
“It’s a welcome initiative which addresses a real matter of concern for women - and I promise for this Government.”
Almost a quarter of women are worried about being raped or physically attacked in the street while 43% are too frightened to walk alone in their local area after dark, according to the British Crime Survey.
Woman’s Own is conducting a survey to discover the impact of street crime on the lives of British women.
