THANK you for your excellent series on drugs (LET, May 20-22). I live and work in the same area of Blackburn as Father Jim. Two immediate consequences of the drug trade are apparent in the Redlam area.

Firstly, the increase in prostitution. A few years ago a few girls would be gathered at the corner of Chapel Street, but now the numbers have increased, spreading all along King Street and up some of the side streets as well.

One of the consequences of this is that young girls who live in the area have been subjected to verbal abuse if they will not get into a 'punter's' car. In one instance there has been a physical assault.

With a long summer approaching, many parents are resigned to keeping their daughters indoors because of this harassment. The other consequence is an increase in house burglaries. The audacious nature of these robberies suggest people in desperate need of cash to feed their drug habit.

People on low incomes have been affected as they are unlikely to have contents insurance and the effect has been devastating.

We must hope that the twin assault on this evil trade of the promised crack-down on drug traffickers and the rehabilitation of addicts will have some effect.

In the meantime, I appeal to all right-minded citizens that if they know of drug dealers, they inform the police immediately. This evil trade will not be defeated by apathy.

REV PETER S GRIERSON, St Luke with St Philip's Vicarage, Lansdowne Street, Blackburn.

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