THANK you for printing my letter (Helping hand for yobs on steps to nowhere', August 17).

I would like to reply to Mr Alan Cookson's comments on that letter (Painting such a gloomy picture of the town', August 24).

Firstly, if, as he states, the problems in Ramsbottom are no worse than other parts of the borough, does that mean we just put up with it all? Being cheerful and accepting things as they are shows a dangerous level of complacency.

I doubt that Mr Cookson would be so complacent if he lived along one of the main routes out of Ramsbottom centre, and was often kept awake until the small hours at weekends and Bank Holidays by screaming, swearing, violent groups much the worse for drink who on their way home vandalise his and his neighbours' cars.

The latest bill I've had to pay was £800, just three weeks ago. There have been many higher bills. Every wing mirror of every parked car was damaged one night last summer on one stretch of road. I don't see why we should have to put up with that. I don't see either why, when something needs urgent attention such as failed street lights, Bury Council can't act within a reasonable time to attend to such matters.

Does no one visit Ramsbottom to check on such things? It seems it always has to be a member of the public who brings such things to the notice of the relevant council department: an overflowing lodge posing a danger to houses nearby; rats swarming in the lodge; vast amounts of litter blocking the lodge overflow. All too often nothing is done for months and months. People get fed up with the high level of neglect we seem to suffer in Ramsbottom. Surely Mr Cookson could not pass by on the other side and not do his civic duty by reporting things which, even if they do not affect him, do affect other people. It's called neighbourliness.

I agree, the park is lovely in parts, but all too often I'm too busy picking up the vast amounts of broken beer bottles round the bandstand and by the river where children and dogs like to paddle, to notice.

The point I was making in my first letter was this: when resources seem so slender, and there is no money for some police presence to act as a curb on what is undoubtedly a big problem with yobbish behaviour and when a reasonable standard of maintenance is not met, when a conservation area is badly neglected, it seemed an act of sheer lunacy to erect those handrails.

It was a cosmetic exercise which has baffled many people. There seems to be insufficient cash for essentials so people get very annoyed when cash is spent unwisely. Remember the handrails are right next to a street light which has not worked for over eight months. Someone has got the priorities very wrong.

We pay quite a high council tax in Ramsbottom, and I feel we deserve better, as do the traders who wish to withhold part of their council tax until there is some police presence. Perhaps if sufficient people made their views known something would be done. So come on Mr Cookson, we should all work together to help each other, and for you to minimise issues which adversely affect the quality of life of a good many people, even if not you personally, is not fair at all.

Mr Fletcher, Ramsbottom