I RECENTLY went to Ramsbottom baths with my young son for his swimming lesson. I always take him into the ladies changing room as he is a small boy and I do not feel comfortable letting him into the male changing room on his own.

My problem is that I was met with a sign on the door saying that boys of seven years and over must use the male changing room.

This made me very angry. Can they do this? Would any mother allow a young, vulnerable child out of her sight? Behind that closed door anything could happen. How can they guarantee that he would be safe? As responsible parents we should be allowed to do our best for our children.

The reason given to me for enforcing this council rule is that several complaints have been made regarding boys being in the female changing area. Don't these people know what it is like to worry about what might be happening to a child out of sight? Remember Sarah Payne?

A lot of mothers told me that they were uncomfortable about the implications of this policy. It will certainly make me think about whether to continue my son's swimming lessons at Ramsbottom.

Is it legal to deny my son somewhere safe to change? I bring this to the attention of readers in the hope that the council will change their policy in order to better protect the young and the vulnerable.

D. MUDIE, Rossendale.