Anxious residents fear it is just a matter of time before someone is knocked over on a country road, unless lighting is put up.

People in Harriston, near Aspatria, are pleading with the authorities to install lighting on the road between the village and the town, which is a necessary route for many walkers on a daily basis.

There are currently no lights on the stretch where the road out of the village meets the main road into Aspatria.

It’s a situation villagers have had to deal with for more than two years and their efforts to find a solution have so far been unsuccessful.

Phillip Thomson, 48, who lives in Harriston, is helping to lobby local councils to try to get lighting put up.

“It’s just a question of time until somebody gets knocked over. There have been a few near misses,” he said. “The footpath is very tiny. It’s very dangerous.

“If you’re walking to and from the village along there at night it’s total blackness, complete darkness.”

Mr Thomson told The Cumberland News there used to be three lights on the stretch of road, with two of them being removed when it was judged that lights could no longer be placed on electricity poles.

A third one blew down, leaving the road in the dark, Mr Thomson says.

“It was all lit up back in the 1950s and 1960s. We are in a modern era so it’s absolutely ridiculous. There’s children that go to Wigton school that don’t get back until after 5pm and by then it’s black dark,” he added.

“I have been in touch with Aspatria town council and they are backing us all the way. It’s a big issue. There has been a precedent set because there were lights there for decades.”

There is road and street lighting along the main road out of Aspatria heading to the Harriston turn off.

Alan Reay, Aspatria’s deputy mayor, said: “The town council feels as though there should be lights on that road. There are none for about a quarter of a mile and there are no houses so it’s absolutely dark.

“It’s a hazard for both children and adults. The town council fully supports Mr Thomson as does county councillor Jim Lister.”

However, further adding to the residents’ problems, confusion lies as to which authority would be responsible for putting up lighting.

Cumbria County Council told The Cumberland News : “The existing footway lighting system on Harriston Road is in the ownership of Allerdale Council, the local lighting authority, and not the responsibility of the county council.”

But a spokeswoman for Allerdale Council said: “Cumbria County Council has responsibility for installing lighting on highways, whereas Allerdale Council can help facilitate the installation of street lights on footpaths at the request of a town council which has the funding in place for the project. Allerdale Council has not received any proposals for additional lighting in this area of Aspatria.”