GROUCHO Marx sang a song which went: 'Whatever you want to do, I'm against it; even if you do what I want you to do, I'm against it'.
It is no use adults in authority saying they are against young people using the woods at Old Town Park, because they are causing damage, if they have no intention of providing them with a bit of land where they can tear around, take risks, break an arm or a leg, hopefully nothing more, and do the things which all young people enjoy doing away from the 'evil eye' of moaning adults.
The authorities' attitude reminds me of a poem by John Betjeman:
When things go wrong it's rather tame,
To find we are ourselves to blame.
It gets the matter over quicker
To go and blame it on the Vicar.
Or in this case the youngsters or anyone else.
J W Reid
Limehayes Road
Okehampton