I was disheartened to read the objections being voiced to the playing field proposals at Sling Lane. How long can we go on accepting the idea that people who choose to live next to parks and playing fields have the right to object to their being used as such? Just where are young people supposed to find opportunities to let off steam?

First we try to stop the skateboarders, then we ban youths from the station, now we want to exclude them from the pitches. It's all so negative.

If vandalism and hooliganism and drug-use are to be reduced in Malvern, what better way than to positively occupy people in sports? These inculcate self-respect and self-discipline, but it needs us adults to support and fund an extension of youth facilities. Are we too mean, too short-sighted, to see the potential for improvement?

Banning people from an area does nothing to cure a problem: it just moves it on.

Supervision and the control of bad language are areas of adult responsibility. Are we too timid or frail to insist on civilised values? It's time to think positively and stop all this selfish nimbyism.

G T Parsons, Croft Farm Drive, Malvern.