I AM writing to express my lack of confidence in the police.

There is a severe crime problem within the area of Leigh, in particular around Firs and Plank Lane. There are gangs of youths roaming the streets terrifying the residents of the Plank Lane estate, breaking into houses and stealing cars.

Cars are taken to the disused Bickershaw Colliery and after smashing them up the youths set them on fire.

Everyday this week there have been cars dumped at either the area opposite Plank Lane tip or at the colliery site and on the weekend of February 8-10 there were eight cars dumped on this site.

I dread to think what impression these sites create to anybody entering Leigh from outside the area.

At 7.30am on Monday February 4, while travelling to work, I noticed a black sports car parked at the tip site. On my return from work at 6pm the same day the car was still there. I took the registration down and reported it to the police. The car was virtually undamaged.

The following morning on my way to work I noted that the car was being removed, I later read in your pages that the car had been destroyed by fire at 7pm on Monday.

Why did the police not react earlier and have the car removed when I reported it, as the damage may have been prevented?

In conclusion, there appears to be no point doing my civic duty and to help make the area safe for law-abiding members of the public. If the police do not have the resources or the commitment to take action and it would appear that thieves and criminals can roam the area doing as they please with little or no regard for people or property.

Why do I bother paying my council tax if there is no service from the police or Wigan Council to make the area safe?

John Birchall

Naunton Avenue, Leigh.