THE time was 7.30pm on a warm Tuesday evening. I was relaxing after working all day when shouting, screaming, swearing and loud laughter could be heard through my windows which are double-glazed to keep the sound down.

A gang of ten to 12 children from the ages of about six to 14 were throwing stones, tarmac, bricks and glass at windows and passing cars.

No, this was not Belfast nor the West Bank of Israel. This is Blackpool almost every night of the week.

On this particular evening it was so bad that my husband and I went out to try and stop them. All we got was a load of disgusting filthy language and abuse. I went to telephone the police who arrived about half an hour later, by which time they had dispersed down the back alley after throwing stones at myself and my husband.

The police said there was nothing they could do as the children were under age and if there was any more trouble we were to ring them again.

It seems quite feasible to me for the police to come in ordinary cars and out of uniform. I really do not see the point of just one policeman in a car that the children can see. He is highly unlikely to be able to do anything when, as soon as they see the car, they run away.

At about 9pm they all started to return but this time they were throwing full black litter bags into the road at passing cars. A few people got out of their cars but the children just ran away, throwing more stones at the cars and ignoring the drivers. It made grown men look like idiots, unable to do anything.

Isn't it time something was done about these so-called children? They are controlling us as a society. Old people are frightened to come out of their houses in case they are mugged and if they say anything to them all they get is the filthiest language.

Nice families are moving out of the area and as a result this scum are moving in. People are scared to say anything to these children in case of retaliation. Why can't the law be changed to make their parents pay for the distress and damage they do to old and young alike?

Name and address supplied.