'Politicians need to take real action to change things on the ground and in the grass of our parks'

Sadly, based on my experience, I am forced to conclude that anyone who values the safety of their children should keep them away from Trafford's parks at weekends.

Some weeks back while walking through Navigation Road Park at 3am on Sunday morning, I saw a group of (presumably) drunk teenagers, one of whom smashed a wine bottle in the playground.

Considering the inadequate way that thuggery is dealt with and Britain's youth mental health crisis, I decided not to confront them, but phoned the police when I got home. The probably overstretched police gave me an 'emergency' council number to phone - where a message told me they were not available until Monday.

In the end, I and some others did our best to pick the shards of glass out of the play area and hidden in the grass.

Whilst graffiti vandals in Sale were rightly punished, at least graffiti won't cut anyone.

The current state of affairs is a complete shambles, and any politicians past or present responsible for this lamentable state of affairs should be ashamed. Does anyone dispute this?

All very well for politicians to pontificate in the press and party meetings but they need to take real action to change things on the ground and in the grass of our parks.

Hugh Cooper Timperley