CLAIMS from council officers that Basildon’s parks have “never been safer” despite a serial flasher approaching women and a fatal stabbing at the weekend, have come under fire.

Officers, speaking at the enforcement and public order committee on Tuesday, claim the parks in the town are “perfectly safe”, just days after a man was stabbed to death in Northlands Park in Pitsea.

Hundreds of rape alarms have also been handed out to women after a serial flasher has been seen on multiple occasions in Gloucester Park and Willow Park, near Westley Heights Country Park.

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This comes as Basildon’s Tories refused to extend the park warden trial through the winter months, when it’s feared crime would increase as the nights draw in.

The trial has instead been extended until September, where it could be scrapped or replaced with a street warden scheme.

Gavin Callaghan, the former leader of the council, also criticised the comments.

However, Craig Rimmer, councillor of the Pitsea south east ward, who sits on the committee, defended them.

He said: “It’s not black and white. The parks are generally safe during the day.

“The park wardens could be extended through the winter and into housing estates, but we need to see the evidence, which is what the next two months are for.

“Park wardens aren’t a silver bullet either.”

“Frightened” women have now hit back at the remarks.

Lorraine Borley, 54, who has helped give out the rape alarms, said: “To say that the parks are safe is forgetting the incidents that have happened.

“The community feel unsafe to walk in parks and open spaces alone. The council needs to do something about it.

“It’s about making people feel safe.

“Women are frightened. They’re not going out alone unless they’re in a group or have a dog with them, and that includes me.”

As part of the ongoing Northlands Park murder probe, three further arrests have been made.

During a series of raids on Wednesday morning, two men, aged 31 and 46, were arrested on suspicion of murder while a 17-year-old was also arrested on suspicion of perverting the course of justice.

The trio remain in custody for questioning.

Senior investigating officer Detective Chief Inspector Scott Egerton, from the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate, said: “This is a fast-moving and intelligence-led investigation.

“We are leaving no stone unturned and my team is working tirelessly to establish what happened in Northlands Park in the early hours of Sunday morning and the circumstances leading up to the man’s death.

“We are using the expertise of many departments within the force and the team is working around the clock.”