LAST Friday (and most Fridays) hordes of lads had taken over Market Street.

They were fighting (well, hand-bagging) each other, urinating in doorways, treating women and children to foul language, throwing bottles into the roadway and threatening to batter the occasional elderly adult who asked them to behave.

Probably the only thing worse than out-of-control youths is older people banging on about how wonderful life used to be. I do not recollect getting up at 4.30am at 15 years of age to go down the pit as being a very pleasant experience.

I did, however, serve as a police officer in Wigan in the late 1950s, when the town was full of hard-bitten miners who used to get drunk. Some of the fighting in Wallgate was reminiscent of D Day.

I have no recollection of searching my pockets for an ASBO, or going to a Magistrate for a written order telling the miners to behave.

They were warned once, and they were then banged up in a cold cell for the night. Police and miners collected a few bruises on the way to the police station.

We rarely brought the same man in twice, and few were charged.

I do not know whether the police "shop" in Westhoughton has cells or not, but I strongly recommend them to senior police officers. Lock the youths up for the night.

If their parents kick up a fuss, let the parents stay in the cells with them.

A cold cell at 4am is a wonderful place from which to contemplate your behaviour.

Ron Shambley, Clough Avenue, Westhoughton