A REPORT appeared in the Lancashire Evening Telegraph (August 17) regarding violence which had occurred in the centre of Blackburn on August 15.

Firstly we had a statement from a police inspector who defended the action of the constabulary by saying: "It is not just a police problem, it's a town problem."

It would appear that she is blaming the licensees in the vicinity of the Boulevard rather than the non-action of the police, as only two arrests were made, which is a scandal as the mayhem was ongoing for many hours.

The police officer also made reference to "having more officers out at the weekend," so I interpreted this as "during the weekends trouble matters, if during the weekdays disruption occurs then we can't cope as well." I wonder why.

The second unbelievable story involves a so-called leader of the 'Bouley gang' who claims that there were ten members of the group who spent their days getting drunk on the Boulevard and that the group leader had been carrying out this unusual pastime for 20 years but added they were peaceful and did not carry out any criminal activity.

My concern, and I am sure the concern of many working people, is where the funding for this drunken pleasure trip is generated.

Is this 'gang' I wonder, classed as alcoholic, which is no doubt classed as invalidity and if the monies are given due to this habit, surely investigation should have been instigated some considerable time ago.

MR DOUG MOSS, Whalley Old Road, Blackburn.