Sheffield’s fire stations offered as safe havens for people scared for their safety

The move comes after a series of incidents in South Yorkshire and beyond have raised public concerns over safety.

Today, South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue put out an invitation on social media to all those who feel unsafe to come to their bases for sanctuary or help.

They said: “All out fire stations are safe spaces. Many are open 24/7.

"So if you ever feel unsafe, lost or harassed – knock on the door. Our firefighters will be more than happy to help.”

South Yorkshire has a number of full time and part time fire stations in Sheffield and the rest of South Yorkshire.

In Sheffield, they include Parkway, on Reynolds Road; Birley Moor, on Moor Valley; Stocksbridge, on Manchester Road; Rivelin, on Rivelin Valley Road; Lowedges on Lowedges Road; and Elm Lane, on Elm Lane, near Longley Park, as well as Sheffield Central, on Eyre Street.

South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue’s message comes after Prime Minster Boris Johnson says it is "infuriating" that cases involving violence against women and girls are not being taken seriously enough by police and take too long to process through the criminal justice system.

The Prime Minister also said too many women are "finding their lives lost to this system" while waiting and hoping for their cases to be taken seriously.

It also comes after two murder incidents in and around Sheffield, and after concerns were raised about attacks on students.

Mohamed Issa Koroma, aged 24, died after being attacked on High Street on Friday, September 17. And Terri Harris, aged 35, died in a house in Killamarsh, Derbyshire, alongside her son John Paul Bennett, 13, daughter Lacey Bennett, 11 and Lacey’s best friend Connie Gent, also 11, as a result of a violent attack.

And a woman was arrested last week after reports of a series of attacks in the city which had been made on female Chinese students, which was said to have left them scared to walk the streets.

Local journalism holds the powerful to account and gives people a voice. Please take out a digital subscription or buy a paper. Thank you. Nancy Fielder, editor