I AM a pensioner, registered disabled, and I wish to express anger and contempt towards the individuals and forces within our society who have permitted street policing to deteriorate in the way it has for the past 30 years.

Recently, I became a target for a small gang of boys aged about 13 to 15. After three weeks of damage and harassment I called the police.

A patrol car arrived and I had to listen to a lecture by a young constable on the law before he agreed to take me in the car and try to identify the boys. This procedure was useless as the boys had disappeared.

The following night, I tried to contact the officer in charge at Bolton Central. This took 20 minutes. An inspector took all the details including my phone number and said someone would definitely contact me after 5pm the following evening. I sat and waited by my phone from 5pm until midnight but no-one contacted me.

This situation is not uncommon. I shall send a copy of this letter to MP Brian Iddon and one to the leader of Bolton Council. If other people do the same, something may happen.

R. Grundy

Little Lever.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.