WITH reference to your recent articles about the St James's Estate in Darwen, as a resident, I would like to point out a number of things to readers.

We are not all unemployed social deviants. On the whole, we are hard-working, caring parents with well-kept homes.

As in any area, there are always a few willing to make life difficult for the people who have to live around them.

Your reports give the impression that we live in a run-down, shabby, dirty place. This is not the case at all.

The majority of us try hard to keep our homes and gardens in decent order and we know where our children are and what they are doing.

One thing puzzles me though - The "Bronx." Since when have the residents referred to the estate by this name? I cannot find a single person who seems to be aware of the name. Perhaps the person who conceived this title could inform us just who gave them the right to brand us with a name that stirs up thoughts of socio-economic depravation and criminality beyond belief.

I think that the genuine people of St James's Estate deserve an apology for the undue embarrassment caused to them of late for we have done nothing to deserve this title or the adverse publicity.

P S CLARK, Ivinson Road, Darwen.

Footnote: Who compared St James's Estate to the Bronx? Our report (Evening Telegraph, April 23) on a family there being terrorised by young thugs quoted a resident who said: "As soon as it goes dark, it is like living in the Bronx on this estate." - Editor.

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