REGARDING vice in Blackburn Cathedral grounds and the call for them to be fenced (LET, May 30), in my time as a chorister there during World War Two, I recall the organist clearing away used condoms from the vicinity during Sunday morning services.

Nothing has changed, except that now there are also used needles and discarded fast-food cartons and their half-eaten contents everywhere.

Fencing the Cathedral in is not the answer. Police patrols at random intervals, with guard dogs, during the hours of darkness would be a far better deterrent.

In addition, the Pavilions buildings should be bulldozed. Removal of these monstrosities in Church Street would give a more open view of our Cathedral.

The 'cannonballs and concrete tank-traps' in Church Street remind me of certain seaside promenades during the war where obstacles were installed to repel invasion.

Little wonder that Blackburn's answer to TV's Jim Royle was recently voted out of office from his regeneration post, even though the long-suffering motorist will have to live with the ensuing traffic jams he is chiefly responsible for.

It is high time that the police made better use of their time, curbing the growing menace of 'one armed drivers' who use their mobile phones in one hand while turning corners with their free hand.

I wonder how many accidents are caused by this sort of irresponsible driving compared with motorists who very slightly exceed the speed limit in 30mph zones?

Finally, the inane chicane system introduced last year in Oakenhurst Road, outside the Montague Health Centre in Blackburn, is a joke and should be scrapped at once.

This, I was told by a former leader of the council, was to curb traffic speeds between Buncer Lane and Montague Street. Apart from the fact that this is in fact a bus route, some 100 cars are parked on a daily and nightly basis along this route and I doubt if even Blackburn's Carl Fogarty could set up a world record along it and few people obey the 'Give Way' instructions in the chicane section.

GEOFFREY TAYLOR, Gib Lane, Blackburn.