I wonder how many people watched a recent programme on binge drinking by young children, with as much interest as I did myself. It was pathetic to see youngsters with kidney damage, through drink, at such a young age.

I often wonder who was the 'brainy one' in Parliament who thought up the idea of stopping parents from chastising their children? When one comes to weigh up the abuse caused by children today, it is an unacceptable situation which someone has to face up to, and make parents more responsible than they are now.

I say this knowing full well that someone will write in to say I'm wrong. I see loads of youngsters riding motorcycles when they are not even old enough to be on the roads and without helmets.

There are schools being burned down and many other crimes being committed with the accusing-finger pointed at children. Youngsters of no more than 4 or 5 years of age are coming out with obscene language like they have a right to say it.

The Government needs to get its act together to get the get the bodies of people who are responsible for the law, like schoolteachers and police, to play their part as they used to.

I was once a member of the Police and the sergeant would remind us all regularly that we were doing a 24-hour a day job. I don't think that is so today, is it? The majority of people, particularly the old, don't have a lot of faith in the police because they are never there when wanted. That is up to the Government of the day to sort out, not the man in the street.

"A Pensioner"

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