IT came as a surprise that a play area is being built on the open ground between Emerson Close and Burman Close, a place I frequent often in my walks and cycle rides.

As a resident of Abbey Meads for under a year, I am glad for every opportunity of play facilities for the local children, and hope it will be beneficial for all concerned.

I appreciate the reservations of certain residents concerning this playground as I have been witnessed to several incidents of vandalism, most of which I have tried to stop in one way or another, with varying results. It is better to go in with a soft answer which turns away wrath (as the good book says), than all guns blazing.

It is in all our interests to make sure this playground is kept vandal free, if at all possible. I would suggest that it is not a 'them and us' situation, but an 'us and us' challenge for both communities and the council.

In an ideal world there would be no vandalism, but sadly it is on the increase, usually due to the lack of respect we have for our environment.

I believe there is a playground warden who inspects other playgrounds. Hopefully, this one will be included and any problems rectified immediately.

There is no need for it to end up in a slanging match between two groups of people put side by side. The Penhill residents are just as fed up as the Abbey Meads ones with things being dumped into the stream, trolleys being left on the street, certain children and adults being socially irresponsible, litter being dropped and so on.

Penhill does not have a monopoly on the latter there are certain roads in Abbey Meads where rubbish is left on the street over the weekend so that foxes get to it, and where garden rubbish is dumped.

I hope the stereotypes of the Abbey Meads toffee-noses and the Penhill vandals will be dropped and we might begin to realise the true worth each of us have in the sight of an All Holy God who has made us equal in his sight, and who loves us as unique human beings.

BRIAN SWEETMAN

Hayward Close, Abbey Meads