I AM writing this because I think that parents are becoming rather lax in the way they monitor their children's use of the Internet.

As depicted in Coronation Street there are unscrupulous people out there who will try to pull the wool over children's eyes.

I, however, have just been on the receiving end of the problem. Being an adult I tend to chat late on at night. The other evening I was on chatting to three female friends, who I know in real life as well as in chat rooms.

During one of our exchanges I received a private message. I responded to the message, but went straight back into the main chat room. Again this person private messaged me. I again responded, but told them politely to talk to me in the main room.

That person duly did. At that point one of my friends private messaged me telling me that this other person was only 13 years old. Said person again private messaged me. I told them in no uncertain terms that I was an adult and that I felt it irresponsible for someone so young to private message a total stranger.

Being a reasonable person I told them that if they wanted to talk to me they should do it in the main chat room, in full view of all. They never spoke to me again that night.

My point is that this was 11.30 at night and that I, the adult, was being approached by a child.

I fully realise that the person involved could be in another country, and that it could be day time there.

The point is that the room was supposed to be for grown ups, as opposed to an adult room, where strong language can be used and sexual innuendos are used a lot.

The child should not have been there in the first place. Where was the child's responsible parent?

Mr J O Connor

Worsley Road

Farnworth

Bolton RESPONSIBLE PARENTING: Tina O'Brien, whose Coronation Street character was snared by a paedophile via an Internet chatroom and inset, the BEN story on the same subject in June this year