LEIGH'S first lady of journalism, columnist Lynda Lee Potter, has had another go at her home town. In her national newspaper column last week, she said the Market Place buildings were the ugliest and nastiest she has ever seen.

A bit strong maybe - but I'm inclined to agree. Our town centre is something to be desired. We have such a mish mash of styles.

I can't understand why the Victorian town centre and market wasn't kept in the 60s and regenerated like the Cheshire villages of Lymm and Knutsford. They're much more attractive.

I'm afraid I am not impressed with the design of the spanking new Union Street outdoor market stalls, expected to be up and running this month, either.

Sandwiched between the Victorian former Co-op and other old buildings on Bradshawgate, the new stalls would have looked much more attractive built in period style rather than the modern "sewerage works" construction that's emerged.

Sorry, call me old fashioned, but if the top is finished, it's awful.

Ms Lee Potter's tirade is a regurgitation of what she said a couple of years back, but she moved away decades ago and now lives in comparative luxury in the south. Some think she should stay away if she thinks so little of her roots, others agree with her. But whatever the case, she lives well out of range of any flack.

I concur with some of her comments, but I'm still working in the town that I grew up in and love - and I expect an earbashing if I knock it.

However, we're all entitled to our views.

John Sumner, of Hulme Road, says she's dead right and that if she had got out of her car, she would have noticed the drunks gathering at the Parish Church, the mess caused by the widening of the roads, the numerous boarded-up shop fronts and the countless charity shops and pound stores.

Had she cared to find 'green' areas of the town, she could have seen the tyre tracks gouging football and rugby pitches.

He says: "Leythers are proud. We're proud of our town's famous sons and daughters, we're proud of our sports teams, but we're sickened at the state of the town centre.

"Leigh was a proud and dignified town 26 years ago, before the Leigh councillors were taken into Wigan Metro."

What do you think?