I DO not condone the senseless vandalism currently being experienced within our community (Evening News, Tuesday, March 23).

I have three children, now grown-up, who were born and bred in Warndon during the 1970s.

They were members of Worcester Athletic Club based at Warndon Sports Club. This was a thriving, diverse community outlet for both young and old. It is now a community centre.

Football was regularly played by one of my sons at Archdale's (this site is now regularly targeted for housing development).

They were all members of Warndon Youth Centre, a tremendously popular venue for the young with regular varied outings taking place.

We had a thriving boxing club which spawned Mickey Baker - no better place to let off steam! This, coupled with Saturday morning pictures at the Gaumont specifically for children and swimming sessions at our fantastic local baths kept our children busy, happy and balanced with vandalism, theft and other crimes kept to a minimum.

I now have grandchildren attending excellent local schools - Elgar, Bishop Perowne, Warndon Primary are all excellent achieving schools, full of hard-working children and fully supporting teachers and parents.

These same children are our communitys' future. I feel they are being sadly let down by the likes of Councillor Layland.

Why, Councillor Layland, don't you stand up and make a positive contribution which relates to treating the cause rather than the symptoms?

In any decade or community we will always have a few mindless individuals, but for Councillor Layland to generalise our local young as being morons will only exaggerate and compound this problem.

Come on Councillor Layland, stand up. Actions speak louder than words!

KEN SAMPSON,

Astwood Farm, Worcester.