Members of Sally Anne Bowman's family are due to hand out free rape alarms as part of a council campaign.

Thousands of free hand held alarms, named after Sally Anne, will be distributed by the family of the teenager throughout the evening for Friday, December 8.

The pocket-sized alarm, which doubles as a torch, will be handed out to weekend revellers with a leaflet providing practical advice about minimising the risk of being a victim of crime.

Linda Bowman, mother of Sally Anne, said: "We don't want anything like what happened to Sally Anne to happen to anyone else and this is why we are involved in this. It's important everyone, not just women, take all the precautions necessary to ensure they are safe."

Councillor Steve O'Connell, cabinet member for crime reduction and public protection, said: "Our goal is to reduce the number of victims of crime, reduce fear of crime and increase personal confidence.

"It is important to remember the likelihood of being a victim of crime is relatively small but extra vigilance will further reduce opportunists."

  • Chef Mark Dixie has been charged with Sally Anne's murder and is due to stand trial at the Old Bailey in the new year.