How Bobbi-Anne McLeod's murder forced Plymouth to talk about women's safety

• Watch Sam Blackledge's report.

The murder of Bobbi-Anne McLeod last November brought the issue of women's safety into sharp focus, and forced Plymouth into some difficult and sometimes uncomfortable conversations.

Rowan Henry, who was close friends with the 18-year-old student, told ITV West Country the incident affected the whole city.

"It was so sad, and it absolutely ruined Plymouth," she said.

"It was catastrophic. It's not nice to walk around afterwards. It is still talked about, someone so close to us, you don't expect that to happen in Plymouth. It has just made things more unsafe for us really."

In the six months since Bobbi-Anne disappeared from a bus stop in Leigham, women have been sharing their stories of feeling unsafe or being physically or emotionally abused.

Playwright Laura Horton, who lives in the Barbican area of the city, said she was recently confronted as she was walking home.

"A man threatened to rape me," she said. "I called the police and they were lovely about it, but obviously there was no CCTV and it was quite dark so there was nothing I could do, and then I felt particularly unsafe for quite a few weeks after that walking around on my own."

Laura says this was not the first time and she expects it will not be the last.

"I will always carry keys in my hand," she said. "I will always wear flat shoes or have flat shoes on me, I will always be on the phone or texting someone to say where I am, that's not going to change."

Plymouth's pubs, clubs, bars and restaurants are are constantly trying to find new ways of making sure their customers get home safely.

Richard Smith, who runs the city's PubWatch scheme, said: "Our door teams around the whole of the city, no matter what company they work for, are trained to spot potential issues.

"Even some taxi drivers are trained in how to look out for those vulnerable type young girls who seem to have had a little bit too much to drink but are seen to be walking home by themselves."

Cllr Sally Haydon, Plymouth Labour's spokesperson on Violence Against Women and Girls said things 'must' change.

"My heart goes out to Bobbi-Anne’s family, friends and the Leigham community at the impossibly difficult details we've heard today.

"We stand by your side in celebrating her memory and pushing for the changes to ensure that tragedies like this can never happen again.

“Next week the Plymouth Commission on Ending Violence Against Women and Girls will report.

"Given the overwhelming strength of public feeling it is imperative that people on the Commission, including myself, do all we can to ensure its report and recommendations will make a real difference to the safety of women and girls in our city.

"This is the time to show the women and girls of Plymouth that our leaders are listening, and that things can - and they must - change."