A COUNCILLOR has been receiving hate mail because of his support for a games and skating area.

The anonymous letters, sent to Coun David Renard (Con, Haydon Wick), say the multi-purpose area at Haydonleigh Primary School will become a haven for drug dealers and create noise and litter.

Several copies of the same letter were sent to Coun Renard's home.

He contacted the police after his wife, Bonnie, received one which had a note at the end saying: "I hope your children are the first to be hooked on drugs."

The letter calls on Coun Renard, a father-of-three, to resign and bow his head in shame.

It contains Coun Renard's address and goes on to say: "Perhaps, as the youth apparently have nowhere to go, they can congregate outside his house."

Copies have also been received by Coun Ian Dobie (Con, Haydon Wick) and parish council chairman Richard Hailstone.

The letter follows an anonymous leaflet containing similar claims about the plans which was distributed to properties in the area last month.

Coun Renard said: "As a councillor I'm used to getting flak but when it is targeted at my family it is unacceptable.

"What is annoying is that the writer accuses us of not being democratic but he or she is not prepared to put a name to the letter."

In the last few days another letter has been sent to residents. One was sent to Kathleen West, 46, a mother of two from Foxglove Road, who is concerned that it could whip up feelings.

She said: "The letter is total lunacy and goes on about the Third Reich and the area being targeted by paedophiles. It is disturbing."

The £124,000 play area is due to open in September.

Coun Renard added: "The views in the letter are not shared by many other people. And there is no evidence to say that skate areas lead to problems.The police and youth workers say they reduce anti-social behaviour."

The facility is a joint venture between the parish council and the school.

Parish councillor Tel Hudson said: "I can understand that there are two sides to any argument, but why the vitriol?"

Michael Hirst, 28, from Barnum Court, Rodbourne, a keen skater who writes for Document, a magazine for skate enthusiasts, said: "Skaters do suffer from a bad image. But skateboarding is a challenging sport which takes away the temptation to try drink and drugs."

Sergeant Max Sharman of Swindon police said: "If the letters are intending to cause distress and anxiety an offence has been committed and we will take it seriously and look into it."

Tamash Lal