I WAS dismayed by the dour pitiless outlook on today's young people by Len Rushton (Letters, June 9). He labelled today's children as 'gutless kids' and 'mindless yobs.' He has no compassion for the new type of 'guts' children have to have today.

They have to cope with broken homes, new 'aunties' and 'uncles,' being homeless and having no work.

They often have no stable home life, not knowing whether they are loved or not. Having such insecurity I feel terribly sorry for them and often they are not to blame.

It is sickening to suggest they should be put in leper-type colonies where they can do their 'own thing' and take the consequences of their own actions.

Isn't the latter point one of the reasons that they act as they do now? To shut them out of sight, as though they don't exist, doesn't help anyone.

I am surprised Mr Rushton didn't suggest filling the new prison ship with youngsters and setting it adrift without a paddle.

Perhaps he'd like to join them and find out what youngsters are really like and why they act as they do.

KATHLEEN BULCOCK (Mrs), Wilkie Avenue, Burnley.

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