SIR: After years of complaining to the local council and the police about the gathering of youths, yobs and vandals in the Lena Street and Chalfont Street area, still nothing has been done about it.

They still come in their cars blaring out music, playing football, throwing their rubbish all over the place and smoking whatever they smoke.

A request to block off this area has been refused by the local planning committee, and the police do not want to get involved in case these people, who cause all this aggravation move on to another place.

But this is not the end of the story, the local council in their wisdom have begun to erect a children's play area right next to where these people gather. Already they have pulled down the temporary fencing that was erected while the playground is being built. I wonder how long it will last before the playground is wrecked or a child is knocked down by speeding cars.

Concerned, Bolton

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