THE organisers of a march in protest at a series of sex attacks in Govanhill, Glasgow, have promised to restore the area's reputation.

Ashley Crossan and Amanda Johnston will lead hundreds of people down Victoria Road on Monday night in a show of "solidarity" with the victims.

The women, who live close to each other in Govanhill, organised the event after a 24-year-old woman was attacked in Dixon Road last month.

The rape followed a sexual assault in nearby Dixon Avenue in February.

More than 3000 people have indicated they intend to join the march, which leaves from the gates of Queen's Park at 11.45pm.

Ms Crossan, 28, who works for a city recording studio, said: "It is not acceptable to be afraid to walk the streets for fear of being attacked. We want to raise awareness of our plight.

"The need to feel safe when walking around is crucial to the wellbeing of the public and the sense of community with which Govanhill should be known."

Ms Johnston, 25, who recently graduated from Glasgow University, added: "We do not want our area to be tarnished as unsafe or as a no-go area.

"We want to inspire confidence in the people, to have the knowledge that the support of the community is out there and, most importantly, we want safety on our streets."

The Evening Times revealed yesterday that CCTV cameras are to be installed in Govanhill in an attempt to tackle crime. However, Ms Crossan wants more to be done.

She said: "We want the authorities to have more involvement with Govanhill, to reassure the public. It is also our duty as locals to not feel fear of our own streets, and to do what we can to ensure we are safe and confident."

Miss Johnston added: "This walk is a show of support and solidarity for victims of sexual assault in the wake of terrible recent events."

Isabelle Kerr, the manager of Glasgow Rape Crisis Centre, backed the march.

She said: "We are always keen to see people raising awareness about this issue.

"I can also understand why people feel worried or vulnerable about walking in the city's streets after the recent attacks."

peter.swindon@ eveningtimes.co.uk