I'm pretty big to be fair. Well over the national average on height and with years of training in self-defence I seldom feel as though I am under threat from another human being. Yet there are times I feel slightly wary, a little unsure of myself. Times when I take my hands out of my pockets as I walk down a darkened street late at night when all about me sleep.

I despair too when I trip up some unfamiliar garden path or struggle to see the lock for my front door in the depths of a cold night.
So when the opportunity arose to test the ENERGIZER Compact Panic Alarm and LED Light I leapt at it. My hopes weren't great however for for all that it promised it retails at the incredibly inexpensive £7.99 (Details below)

I didn't notice that it already came with a battery installed so CB and I wasted some time searching for a A23 (it's an ENERGIZER specific sizing code - a DURACELL MN21 is exactly the same fit) We finally figured that out.

Trying to open the back of the alarm was the next drama - I can be quite short fused about unnecessary fidgets and despite having a range of appropriate tools I eventually had to resort to a knife blade to loosen the rear battery casing. Loss of points on design there.

Powered up - it had been from point of purchase, do'ah - the mechanics are simple. Press a button and a fabulously bright directional beam of light explodes the darkness. No more falling up garden paths or fidgeting to get keys into a lock in the darkness.

The Panic Alarm system is activated if the key ring cord is separated from the torch. Picture pulling a pin out of a grenade and you're with me. I warned CB first that I was about to pull the pin out. Despite the warning so deafening was the alarm(115 decibels) that she jumped involuntarily. Fabulous. Yet at the same time - for I jumped too! - I noticed that the pin needed a sensible tug. There was no sense of it coming out as it rolled around the bottom of a bag.

PI rocked up a short while later and decided she needed to test it too. She loved it (and jumped!) I put a stop to any further tests for whilst inside it was late at night and I feared disturbing the neighbours unnecessarily. That gives you an idea of the volume of this gadget.

With the exception of two points - a very annoying battery casing (take it to a locksmiths to get the battery changed if you can't manage it) and my view that it was a little bulky (PI & CB advise me it's smaller than most) we loved it. I don't think we've ever said this on TTB before but I think they could add a few ££ to this and it would still be a bargain - and a sensible, reassuring one at that!

RRP £7.99 - Available from various high street and online retailers.
See www.energizer.co.uk for more details.

Check out www.safetyinthedark.co.uk a site designed to provide informative personal safety tips from Crimewatch presenter and personal safety expert Jacqui Hames.