Get it off your chest.

Rid our estate of this low-life gang

SIR,

The letter from a Lowton resident recently will, I'm sure, strike a cord with many people who are currently experiencing similar problems, not least the residents of the Bonnywell Road estate whose quality of life is being seriously affected by a gang of 20 or so 14-16-year-olds (boys and girls, not all of whom reside on the estate).

Their sole aim in life seems to be to cause maximum disturbance and disruption to the lives of others, often fuelled by alcohol.

These 'others', incidentally, are in the main retired or elderly residents who are quite easily intimidated and frightened, and unable to defend themselves verbally, let alone physically. One wouldn't have thought that this contributed significantly to the street cred these youths are evidently trying to incorporate into their image (after all one doesn't hear Eminem or gangsta rappers boasting about terrorising old folks), but maybe they aren't really as tough as they would have us believe.

Parental control of these youths appears to be either negligible or non-existent. A mother who allows her 14-year-old daughter to roam the dark streets with a gang of mostly older boys, probably drunk, cannot have any concerns about the time she comes home.

I have witnessed young girl members of the gang getting into cars and being driven off by the adult males at the wheel who cruise by and stop to talk to the youngsters regularly.

The girls make a habit of screaming and screeching incessantly, swearing and yelling at the boys to get off them or leave them alone. Noise horseplay perhaps, but who is going to risk abuse and insult and go out there to check that they are safe and free from threat? Not the residents of the estate, for sure. If these young girls never return home again, or were irrevocably scarred either mentally or physically, who would the parents blame? Themselves?

Yobbish behaviour

Evidence suggests that some parents encourage this yobbish behaviour; sadly this how it perpetuates down the generations in certain families. Recently when one mother was told by police of her child's vandalism of a neighbours' car, told them that next time she would "give him a brick and let him do a proper job".

This would probably be the only job he would ever be capable of doing with a brick, or any other materials come to that -- deliberately unemployed parents, living off benefits, set a less than shining example for their offspring. Having never paid much heed to education, they don't encourage it in their children -- who in turn subscribe to the concept of a life funded by benefit handouts, housing benefits, free health services etc while the remainder of society works and pays taxes and national insurance contributions to support them.

How painful is that to the taxpayers who, as a further insult, also have to endure the torment of this yobbish behaviour?

And what stance do the police take in this? Not a particularly reassuring one, regrettably. Charged with upholding the law and protecting innocent citizens, when called the police (if they bother to attend) cruise by, sometimes stopping for a chat with the youngsters, but nothing much else

However, Bonnywell Road residents are determined to rid the estate of this low-life bunch and the vandalism, abuse and disruption they bring with them. Their local Home Watch group meets regularly with councillors and local community police. They have provided a list to the local council housing directorate of names and addresses of troublemakers. Apparently if sufficient complaints are received the offending tenants and their families can be evicted.

We intend to write to the local Chief Inspector to invite him to the next meeting to gain his views and comments. Regular calls to Leigh police, via their central control, when incidents occur ensures complaints are logged and if there are sufficient calls, again something might be done to halt the offenders.

The main thing is to keep at it, call the police if you have a complaint. Contact the council to complain about their tenants if they are involved. Lobby your local councillor. Form a group to maintain the pressure on these agencies.

Name and address supplied