Law and

Anti-social behaviour by neighbours, inservility and loutishness in town centres can, it is fairly claimed, hugely damage the quality of people's lives. So is it any wonder that we are becoming a more inward-looking society and less inclined to help each other? And how we look back with envy on those days when we could walk the streets in almost certain safety and cross town-centres after dark at a steady stoll, without fear of being mugged?

Let's hope that Britain never descends to the situation that exists in so much of the United States, where driving in a car with locked doors is regarded by many folk as the only way to venture out in towns and cities.

Action to stem the rising tide of lawlessness, in whatever shape or form, will undoubtedy be wanted from whoever wins the next General Election. And so it should be! Fighting back WHILE we look to Parliament to show a lead in crime-fighting, it's good to see action being taken at a local level. So a scheme to make tenants in a high-rise council block feel more secure deserves full marks.

Special cameras to monitor the land surrounding the flats in Crook Street, Bolton, in addition to nearby car parks, will hopefully reduce crime and improve the quality of life for residents.

We may not relish the prospect of cameras surveying the areas near our properties. But, just as we have to live with infra-red detectors with so many of the burglar alarm systems in our homes, so we will have to get used to spy cameras on our streets - and our movements being monitored. Tip for the pegs THOUSANDS of nose pegs are to be given to homes in the Horwich area, as part of a Tory attempt to focus attention on the Red Moss Tip issue during Thursday's local election. If the supertip ever becomes reality, those pegs may really be needed!

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