LAST week the Citizen carried a story about anti-social behaviour by Heysham High School pupils at lunchtimes.

I would like the opportunity of drawing the attention of readers to a number of additional facts.

Since the vandalism to the wall, a lunchtime 'duty' has been established at the front gates and no anti-social behaviour has been reported.

The cost of repairing the wall has been covered from the school budget and the woman whose wall was vandalised informed me that she would not be contacting the paper as it would not help to identify the culprits but would only give the school a bad press.

She presumably then contacted the newspaper and gave an interview. This, despite a meeting with me at her address, and a visit she made to my office to thank the school.

At the moment we have 1,350 students at Heysham, and it is my belief that the damage was caused by approximately five youths, four of whom have now left. They are known to police.

In my seven years at Heysham I have been disappointed at the way people contact newspapers with various grievances. The stories do not resolve situations, only give school a bad name.

The school has made great progress. However, we are repeatedly dragged down by a minority of pupils who have no respect for individuals or property. These are the same yobs who are responsible for anti-social behaviour during the evening, and whose names are repeatedly reported to me by police who arrest, warn or caution them in the evening.

We have to try to educate them during the day. Yet it is their association with Heysham High which attracts headlines.

Ninety nine percent of Heysham High pupils are decent, respectful, hardworking and a credit to their parents. People tend to overlook this.

David S Ainsworth, Head teacher, Heysham High.