SOME women are now so scared of being attacked in their cars, their homes and on the streets they would consider carrying a gun to protect themselves. Now, Home Secretary Michael Howard is being urged by a local MP to take immediate action to reduce the fear of crime among women. Rossendale and Darwen Labour MP Janet Anderson has made the Commons call in the wake of an opinion poll carried out for car leasing and retailing group Cowie.

In a protest motion, she reveals the survey showed women are so scared of being attacked in their cars, that some would consider carrying knives, guns and crowbars.

Mrs Anderson notes that 92pc of the women surveyed said they would opt for a mobile phone, personal alarm or spray which could be squirted in the attacker's face.

She says women should not feel the need to carry a weapon in order to feel safe.

And she claims the fear of crime among women - illustrated by the survey's figure of 49pc of women who feel unsafe when walking in streets near to their homes at night - was "now so serious as to demand Government action". Backed by five other women MPs she calls on the Home Secretary to take immediate steps to do whatever is necessary to alleviate the fear of crime among women.

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