ANGRY neighbours have blasted a County Hall cost-cutting measure that’s plunged their Upton housing estate into darkness.

Many French’s Farm Estate residents only found out about the initiative last week when all of their street lights started being turned off overnight.

Dorset County Council, as part of a drive to reduce energy costs, has been systematically switching off hundreds of Upton’s street lights since mid May.

It is part of a countywide scheme that has already been implemented in many communities and will eventually be extended to all remaining towns and parishes over the next year.

Selected street lights are being switched over to a timing system that will see them turned off between midnight and 5am (GMT).

However, French’s Farm Road resident Eric Morse told the Daily Echo: “I’ve spoken to a lot of my neighbours and we’re all singing from the same song sheet.

“I was looking out the window the other night and everything was totally black. I thought they’d been a power cut but everything was on in the house, I couldn’t understand it. That’s how I first found out about this.

“Then I thought, ‘hang on a minute, why hasn’t anyone sent us leaflets through or let us know.’”

The grandfather-of-one said he’s not against some of the lights being turned off to save money, but he questions the wisdom of plunging the entire estate into darkness.

“I think it is totally unreasonable to shut off the whole area, it is dangerous.”

County councillor Fred Drane, representing the Upton ward, agrees. He describes the decision to shut off every light in French’s Farm as ridiculous.

“I know they’ve got to save money,” said Cllr Drane. “But they have to be sensible about it.”

A Dorset County Council spokesman explained part-night lighting has been rolled out across Dorset since 2011.

He added: “While many residents supported the scheme, some feared crime would rise – but here has been no evidence this has happened.”