I AM writing with reference to the Citizen's excellent report on the beggars in Preston town centre.

But this problem is only the tip of the iceberg which Preston is sailing to very quickly.

I am a Prestonian and have been all my life. I am concerned that Preston will hit this iceberg and sink into the depths of obscurity.

The council and other officials in this town want it to become a city, and are constantly winging about the lack of tourism in the town.

Well let me put this town into perspective for you.

A tourist enters this town via the motorway, coming off at the Tickled Trout.

And as soon as he or she has got to the top of Brockholes Brow, they will hit Farringdon Park, with its graffiti and juvenile runaways.

Then they hit New Hall Lane, where the rubbish blows across derelict buildings.

Further down New Hall Lane you have one of the most historic buildings in Preston - Horrocks' Mill - which lottery money has failed to rejuvenate.

And when the tourist has tackled the traffic congestion, and actually finds somewhere safe to park, he or she then faces Fishergate - renamed Beggarsgate.

Don't get me wrong, the Big Issue sellers are usually genuine.

Now imagine this: the tourist is stopped and asked for money by a young lad and the visitor refuses.

The beggar will probably start to hurl abuse and threats at the tourist, which I have experienced.

When the beggar does get money, he will most likely buy drugs with it, then returns to the street to beg again, throwing his used syringe onto the floor, where a child could pick it up.

Now I can say all this because I was a security official in town and I saw a lad throw his needle on the street.

And I have also seen the same lad threaten a lady because she had no money to give him.

So all I have to say to the CPS's orders to the police, to leave these people alone, is get a life and open your eyes to what is going on in this town.

Five years ago I would swear by this town. Now I wouldn't defend it at all.

Name and address supplied

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.