SIR - I have been skateboarding for almost 10 years now, and still we have had almost nothing done positively to help us. Our indoor skate park was taken away because of safety issues and our outdoor park needs repairing and also being brought up to date.

SIR - I have been skateboarding for almost 10 years now, and still we have had almost nothing done positively to help us.

Our indoor skate park was taken away because of safety issues and our outdoor park needs repairing and also being brought up to date.

I have been part of committees to help us get new facilities many a time and yet still nothing is done and yet again we are being looked at as if we are a problem.

I know 90 per cent of the skateboarders and BMXers in my town and they are all good kids and adults.

No one is willing to help us as we are deemed outsiders. If we played football or tennis we could get to any number of fields but as our sport isn't the same we are left to try and find our own places.

Maybe it is finally time that the people in this town realise we are not simply going to stop just because you say we have to, and actually help us do something productive.

We really do need a new skate park and we need one that is designed by us the skateboarders.

MICHAEL HAMS

Stevenage

SIR - I am 43 years old and have lived in Stevenage all my life and if ever there was a case of the police/council getting it all wrong, this is it.

Targeting skateboarders and cyclists in Stevenage is not a crackdown on anti-social behaviour, it is further alienating a very social and approachable group of people of all ages who have been trying for years to get appropriate and modern facilities built in this town so that they do not have to skate the streets.

Football, cricket, tennis basketball, rugby, squash etc are all adequately supported in this town. But because some individuals, in positions of power, have not bothered to take the time to understand the extremely social, technical, dynamic and ever more popular sport of skateboarding they have taken it upon themselves to brand it anti-social.

The council is jeopardising the safety of all skaters and members of the public in the town by not supplying adequate facilities for the skateboarders to use. As for Ian Blundell's statement, maybe he should target the people on street corners selling drugs, and not the ones who are trying to do something that, given the opportunity and appropriate facilities, is very constructive and keeps people out of real trouble.

On the Stevenage Borough Council member's statement, I have just one thing to say, there already is a solution to this problem which the skaters of Stevenage have been trying to point out for over 10 years.

This town needs a skate plaza. This will keep the skaters out of the town centre.

Stevenage has a long and proud skateboarding history, it should be allowed to continue.

By the way we have a petition to get a skate plaza built in the town. It has around 2000 names on it (still growing) including council members, PCSOs and police officers (although the police have managed to lose two sheets from it already). If you want to help resolve this problem please add your name to it. Just pop in to the WheelyBoard skate shop in the indoor market and put your name down.

JIM BRECKENRIDGE

Concerned parent and friend of Stevenage Skaters