ABOUT the matter of problems caused on the streets by youths and the start of the long holidays.

A small gathering of teen youths gathered in one well-known central location in Bromley Cross at the weekend and loudly talked all night, oblivious to the disrupted sleep to the many elderly residents close by.

By 7am on the Sunday morning, enough was enough as the youths, needing to have a break from the tedious chatter about mobile phones and the like, set themselves the challenge of setting fire to things. A strong rubber burning smell was first and next was a wheeled bin found nearby and brought to the location, its contents tipped onto the path and set well alight.

A wasted 35p connection charge to the Police 101 call centre met with the usual fob off - we will have someone there shortly - yet the youths were still burning material two hours later.

So who is most at fault - the failed parenting of the lads and single girl who are allowed at 16 years to be out all night, or is it the politicians who do not fund community policing any longer and the abandonment of many areas by Greater Manchester Police, with perhaps one patrol car for the entire north side at 'off-peak' times.

A sad comment on an increasingly lawless district that has much in common with many city inner urban areas.

Name and address supplied