TURNING off the street lights in Teignmouth could lead to more crime and accidents, a local councillor fears.

To save cash, the county council is blacking out many residential roads from 12.30am to 5am, but Cllr Vince Fusco is worried about the consequences.

'Will it encourage more vandalism, burglaries and muggings and affect public safety? It does not sit easy with me,' he told a town council meeting on Tuesday.

But the mayor, Cllr David Cox, retorted that criminals did not like total darkness because they could not see what they were doing.

'Lots of places across Devon have never had street lights anyway, and they do not have any big problems with crime.'

County councillor Chris Clarance said that the switch-off would save about £480,000 a year.

Fellow county councillor James McMurray pointed out that the lights in the town centre, Kingsway, Mill Lane to the hospital, and main routes would stay on.