THE Bolton branch of the Institute of Advanced Motorists does a great job in raising local driving standards and enjoyment – all completely voluntarily.

They fund their own activities and donate their time, patience and expertise to helping others all the time. So, when thieves left a trail of destruction as they smashed up their storage cabin it was a particularly cruel and senseless blow.

Not content with stealing vitally useful equipment they also badly damaged the premises in Chorley Street in the town centre. The cost of replacing the stolen items is around £600.

This is a lot of money to any voluntary group, especially such a practical one that uses equipment to help others. The IAM members put on regular driving courses and do much work to improve driving standards for everyone and cut accident numbers.

They do a brilliant job and deserve better treatment. Bolton is lucky to have such a dedicated group of individuals and we can only hope they’re soon back to their important work again.