Support the skateboard

I was greatly disappointed to read your article "Action to stop pool wreckers". At a time when youth obesity levels are at an all time high, and stories fill the national Press about teenage drug abuse and violence, teenagers and young adults who discover and partake in sports such as skateboarding should surely be encouraged, not vilified.

Here we have a group of teenagers and young adults who, instead of engaging in the negative stereotyped behaviour of their peer group, have dedicated their spare time to an activity which keeps them healthy and out of trouble and teaches dedication and commitment. But instead of being applauded for their positive choices, they are described as "wreckers" and "gangs". I doubt such vocabulary would be used to describe those who play football on the park!

There are now approximately 600,000 skateboarders in the UK alone. The participants in the sport far outnumber those of many traditional sports in this country, which simply do not appeal to many youngsters.

If we are really interested in combating problems associated with teenagers today, we need to support, not denigrate, positive activities that appeal to the youth of today.

Christian Sayer, United Kingdom Skateboarding Association, Waltham Abbey, Essex.