AT the age of 77, I don't think you would be expecting me to be writing to The Bolton News about young people, unless it was complaining about them riding on footpaths, on skateboards, or dropping their chewing gum or litter on the footpaths.

I would like to praise them for helping me to enjoy two of the best days of my life. This happened last week when I attended the Smithills and Canon Slade Schools.

Smithills School held their spring term concert.

What a privilege it was to hear such talented musicians under the leadership of their conductor, Chris Wormald. It is a great achievement to Mr Wormald and his staff to hear the high standard of their playing and they also all seemed to enjoy taking part.

The following night, I was fortunate to go to Canon Slade School to see their presentation of Les Miserables. What a brilliant performance!

I have seen three professional productions of "Les Mis" and I can honestly say this performance was every bit as good. When they took the final curtain call, you could see by their smiling faces they knew they had done their teachers proud. Well done, Rob Wilding and everybody involved in this show.

There is no doubt that the young people of today, apart from a minority, are every bit as well behaved as my generation were.

The next young people's concert I will be going to is the Gala Brass Band concert at the Victoria Hall on Saturday, May 12, to listen to the Bolton Youth Band playing alongside the North-west 2007 Champions, Fodens.

Well done, the young people of Bolton.

Tom Fraser Parkwood Drive Over Hulton