THANK goodness someone has at last taken up the plight of the youngsters and the fact that Chorley refuses to provide any sort of amenities for our youths.

There are no cinemas, roller rinks, ice skating rinks. In fact, sod all.

It seems to me that the people of Chorley are mostly elderly, bigots, or dismiss the kids as not being here at all.

They moan about Sunday markets, pedestrian streets, signs over shops.

I came here from London two years ago, my kids are 16 year-old twins, and a 12-year-old girl.

We couldn't believe that there was nothing for them to do.

Chorley people complain about the trouble on a weekend in town, well why don't they step back and look around.

Kids have nothing to do except hang about doing nothing and getting into trouble until they are old enough to go into pubs, of which there are plenty, and get smashed, start fighting and end up in court.

The councillors should stop spending money on things that are a total waste of time, like a £35,000 toilet which they do not need, tarting up the town hall and use the money to provide amenities for its children.

My home most nights resembles a youth club, and while it sometimes makes me mad, at least they are not on the streets.

My sons have applied for employment in Chorley, and have had no replies. In one instance they were told "we want grown ups, not stupid kids".

People in Chorley are self-centred. Don't they realise the kids of today are their citizens of tomorrow? Or is it their intention to drive youths out of town?

It seems to me, and I'm sure many other parents, that no one gives a damn about the kids. This town will become a town full of rest homes, nursing homes and old people who sometimes could do to listen to the young kids instead of putting them down because they are young.

Don't they stop to realise that they too were kids themselves once?

Also, the police should lay off hassling kids simply because they stand on corners talking.

I have seen the police many times hassle kids where I live for doing just that. A taxi driver a few weeks ago told me that every time a proposition is put forward for the kids it automatically gets turned down, as Chorley refuses to recognise the kids.

That says it all.

The kids of this town have one impression planted in their minds: You have no hope of any kind. go away you don't belong in this town, we don't want you! - sad but true I'm afraid.

Name and address supplied

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