While it is understandable for Mr E J Dawe (Your Letters, December 12) to be very frustrated after being asked not to take photographic images of his grandson playing football for Newtown Sports FC, he must appreciate the reason behind the 'photography ban' enforced by the junior soccer club.

Newtown Sports, like Malvern Rugby Club and other local sports clubs who work with young people under the age of majority, are obliged operate within a strict 'code of conduct', which is bound to the Child Protection Act.

The code is a mandatory requirement throughout all youth sports and it is rigorously enforced by the governing bodies of sport, local authorities and Sport England to protect young people from the risk of "abuse", whether verbal, physical or emotional.

Unfortunately for Mr Dawe, the level of protection for young people under the code also applies to any unsolicited photography of young people playing sport.

It is clear that Mr Dawe wanted to use his camera for the very best of intentions and record the memories for the family album. But what Mr Dawe must realise is that in recent years there has been a steady increase in the number of incidents (locally and nationally) where less desirable people have been taking unauthorised images of children playing sport and trading them to depraved individuals who will use the images for the very worst of intentions.

It is agreed that any ban on cameras, apart from those used by authorised press or sanctioned official photographers, is not desirable but it is imperative that sports clubs such as Malvern Rugby Club and Newtown Sports FC take a firm line on the protection of young people in their care.

It is a responsibility that is demanded by the parents and carers of young people and it is a responsibility that is demanded by the law of the land.

It is also a responsibility that all voluntary sports coaches and administrators would ask their club's supporters to uphold as good practice, even when one of the supporters is a key sponsor of a youth team.

Gary Tolley, chairman of Youth Rugby, Malvern RFC.