As skies darken, a senior official has urged parents to keep themselves and their children visible when near roads.

Cumbria's Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner (PFCC) Peter McCall's appeal comes after the clocks rolled back on October 29, making increased visibility vital, particularly on roads lacking street lights.

The PFCC's tips include individuals wearing bright or reflective clothing, choosing safe places to cross roads, ensuring bicycles are equipped with lights and reflectors, and prioritising attention on their surroundings rather than on distractions, like smartphones.

The importance of giving sufficient space to passing cars and never presume a driver's awareness of pedestrians was also emphasised.

In support of this cause, PFCC McCall said: "As winter approaches and the nights are getting longer, many of us will still be out and about near our roadsides.

"We live in a very rural county, which has many benefits, but some of our roads have no streetlighting which means it is the responsibility of the driver and pedestrians to be as visible as possible.

"I would urge anyone using our roads at night, especially those with children, to ensure that they do everything they can to make themselves as visible as possible to oncoming traffic.

"We want everyone to enjoy their nights and get home as safely as possible, so by following these tips we can help keep everyone safe."

Urging everyone to contribute to enhancing road safety, Inspector Jack Stabler stated: "The darker nights can bring increased risk, particularly to pedestrians and cyclists on and around the road network.

"Take a look at yourself and your family and ask how visible you are to drivers and whether you are doing all you can to stay safe, including always finding the safest place to cross the road, such as zebra and pedestrian crossings.

"If we all take a little extra care, we can significantly reduce the potential for tragedy on our roads this winter."

For all emergencies, the public is advised to dial police on 999, while non-emergency queries can be addressed to the police at 101, or at www.cumbria.police.uk.