Anthony Halse, of Gloucester Road, Newton Abbot, writes:
I am becoming very perturbed at the growing gangs of teenage cyclists and skateboarders congregating and travelling in groups at high speeds during our dark autumn evenings in the largely unlit pedestrianised precinct between the Asda superstore, the clock tower and the public library within Newton Abbot.
Cycling is illegal in most of this area and none of these teenagers is visible as they have neither lighting nor luminous clothing.
Last night I was mortified to see a skateboarder tail-gating an unlit teenage cyclist at 25mph as the pair flew past the library and into the oncoming traffic in Market Street. I was surprised and relieved to see that miraculously they arrived at the Alexander Cinema uninjured.
Obviously the pair risked causing serious injuries to innocent bystanders such as myself and crashing into cars.
I also saw reverse cycling and other equally dangerous skateboarding manouevres, some witnessed by a passing police patrol car that ignored the chaos.
I have rightful concerns that the vulnerable elderly and many evening supermarket shoppers are being endangered and intimidated by this very antisocial and irresponsible behaviour.
I contend that parents are negligently failing in their duties of care by allowing their children to behave in this throughly irresponsible manner.
Moreover, many of the children are too young to be out at night because of such obvious risks as drug addicts, drunks and paedophiles.
Likewise, the police and the local schools need to urgently implement a coordinated policy to educate and cajole the offenders, reinforced by penal measures if there is any continuance.
I should now like to invite Newton Abbot Police and the local school head masters – including the primary schools – to respond and to coordinate rectification measures so that before children and adults are injured or killed.