As a rocked community gathered in darkness, yards from where a father and son were repeatedly stabbed and left with life-changing injuries, the Wimbledon Guardian launched a campaign for better lighting on the troubled Phipps Bridge estate.

Dozens of residents walked the estate with representatives of Merton Priory Homes and Merton Council late on Tuesday night, voicing their alarm that substandard lighting had left them too afraid to leave their homes at night.

The two organisations have already pledged to consult with residents over what can be done. But this paper is lobbying for urgent action as residents claim gangs gathering in dark stairwells and unlit play areas are terrorising the area.

Speaking at the walkabout, Mitcham and Morden MP, Siobhain McDonagh backed our campaign.

She said: “Hopefully this will set in motion the process of seeing improvements made, but we have to keep fighting our corner and arguing for changes to be made.

“Tonight was important to get the council and Merton Priory Homes to come out and see first-hand what the community would like, and the concerns they have.

Residents articulated their fears in front of the managing director of Merton Priory Homes, Pauline Ford, and Merton Council’s director of environment and regeneration, Chris Lee.

One said: “You would not believe the antisocial behaviour that goes on where the estate’s unlit. In the mornings you can see where the drug dealers have been. It is a state – you can even see the floor littered with used condoms.

“The lighting has got to be improved, even if it means the CCTV cameras do more than just film shadows.”

Another said: “I have lived on this estate for the past 14 years and the stabbing, well it is something that has been waiting to happen.

“You hear screaming around the place at night and feel sick, but you do not want to go outside and help because you do not feel safe.”

Mr Lee said Merton Priory Homes and the council would form a task group to look at how funding for improved lighting could be generated.

Plans to use a £1.25m fund earmarked for improvements to more than 22 housing estates recently transferred from the council’s ownership to Merton Priory Homes has sparked criticism.

Chairman of the Phipps Bridge Tenants’ and Residents’ Association Richard Law, said: “If you break that figure down, anyone can see it would not even pay to put candles on all of Merton’s estates.”