I AM pleased to see that schools in the area are taking seriously the issue of children taking part in sports and PE even if they are not able to take their pupils to swimming lessons.

However, active play should not end at school and it is equally important that children should be provided with play areas in the vicinity of their homes. Unfortunately children in the village where I live do not have access to any play area. No gardens, no playground and no public transportation to get to town in the evenings and on Sundays.

Their only option is to play on an open road. Not too bad for those of senior school age, but we have children as young as two years old who are forced to play out in the road because a number of houses do not even have back yards or rear access.

We have reported this situation to our local council many times, and have been told that there is a playground available. Unfortunately, this particular play area is one mile away, down a main road with no footpath at all. It is unsafe for an adult to walk along for much of the day or evening, due to heavy lorries, cars and buses etc.

Certainly, no caring parent would send their young children a mile down this road just to play on a swing.

Surely, there must be something that can be done for these children. I would be pleased to hear any positive suggestions regarding this from readers who have had similar experiences and overcome them.

G C COOPER, Victoria Buildings, Waterside, Darwen.