Letter: Allow all children to play in Telford field

In response to the complaint by the headteacher of St Mary's Catholic School about the field next to their school, I want to make it clear that I have no children or dogs so my comments are as unbiased as they get.

The field in question is opposite my house and in my lifetime was always public - to this day it has an open turnstile gate.

I have seen kiddies playing on this field throughout the summer holidays, they did no harm and where are young children on my estate supposed to play?

It's too dangerous these days to let young children out of your sight and even if you can let your children go further, most of the playing fields/recreational grounds have either been built on or enclosed.

I was mugged recently by a youth and when I got over it, I started to look at some of the causes of youth crime and one of them is the lack of facilities for children.

I was horrified when I saw how little space there is now: most of Rough Park is either built on or enclosed for horses, the playing fields near Castlefields roundabout were closed to build Madeley academy.

Not only has the land gone: free swimming for children has stopped - so children "no longer need" exercise, so the obesity crisis the Government was trying to tackle is obviously over.

Last year, I only saw the field in question used four times by St Mary's School, so why does the headteacher get so irate when children play on there? In my opinion it's very selfish to deny a child somewhere to play.

As for her claim that dogs are run on this field, the only dogs I see on the field and in the school grounds are the headteacher's golden retrievers.

It seems to me there's one law for her and another for everyone else.

M Clarke, Telford