IT has to be said that parents bear a lot of responsibility for what happens to their children and a high proportion of them either don't know where their children are or what they are doing.

You only have to see the number of young children out unescorted at late hours to wonder about parental responsibility.

The trouble is that there has been too much interference by so-called 'do-gooders' over the years and that discipline is now far too lax.

Having said that, it wouldn't go amiss if we could return to the 'bobby on the beat,' albeit with modern back-up policing if required.

DAVID JAMES, Browhead Road, Burnley.