LIKE many people, we've often wrung our hands in despair and wondered how society can rid itself of the consequences of the moment when teenagers and boredom meet.

We've been moved to observe that the greatest influence in their lives is the gogglebox, and encouraged parents to see it as a threat to civil and social behaviour, not a benefit.

And we make no apologies for repeating our belief that yobs aren't born, they're created by a society showing youngsters too little interest. The devil makes work for idle hands.

Until the root causes are tackled, the problem will continue.

No amount of laws, no amount of punishment, no amount of bemoaning will change that.

Youths on street corners are a constant on the urban landscape and - before we fall into the trap of thinking it's a modern habit - always has been.

That's why, like some city councillors, we're concerned that £30,000 cuts to youth service funding - around a 25 per cent reduction - will lead to a rise in vandalism and anti-social behaviour in Worcester.

It's also why we're troubled by the threat that the city's RampAge skate park will be refused permanent planning permission because it's still too noisy for neighbours.

We sympathise with residents, and we're heartened by city planning chief Peter Yates' determination that a solution is found - because the bottom line is that it must be.

Worcester's youth - its next generation of decision-makers - are being treated like second-class citizens.

That must stop. If it doesn't, we'll reap what we sow and the city will have to take a large slice of the blame.