A SERIES of sickening incidents involving young hooligans in East Lancashire leaves us wondering how on earth we have arrived in this situation.

Rowdy children in Blackburn and Accrington have been blasted by transport bosses for causing chaos on school buses and putting lives in danger.

And in Burnley a fireman was injured when children, some as young as six, stoned a fire crew as they tackled an out-of-control bonfire.

There have always been mischievous children. Down the ages kids have played tricks on their elders.

But we seem to have created a breed of mini-monsters whose whole purpose in life is to wreck, injure and cause as much chaos as possible.

They are, of course, a minority. But they exist in sufficient numbers to cause serious problems for many communities in Britain.

When children punch out a bus window which narrowly misses a toddler in a buggy and a child hurls a stone into the face of a fireman, society has got to ask itself where it has gone wrong.

Parents and teachers bear the brunt of criticism whenever an incident involving unruly youngsters is reported. But these days they have few sanctions.

Even a parent can be hauled before the courts if he or she gives an offspring a slap on the backside. And the mini-monsters are aware from a very young age that the law protects them to an incredible degree.

It is a worrying trend.

But we have to ask the question.

Are the parents of the children who caused chaos on school buses and those of the youngsters who threw stones at firemen aware of their children's actions?

If so, what are they intending to do about it?

The answer to that question is probably precious little.

Stoning fire crews in mainland Britain would have been unthinkable a few years ago. But how often are children taken to court for attacking men whose aim is to save lives and protect property? Seldom, if ever.

We have obviously lost the ability to discipline the mini-monster minority.

And until legislation to redress this situation is brought in we shall continue to witness incidents like those which have taken place in East Lancashire during the last few days.

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