Being a father of two, who are both very young, I am naturally concerned about their future.

One of my main fears is what they do to occupy themselves in their spare time, such as summer holidays and after school hours.

I am 32 and when I was younger, some time ago, we had youth clubs to attend and the boys' club, which I am sad to say closed down at the time me and my school friends were old enough to attend.

I stress that I really enjoyed my childhood, in the 70s and early 80s, and have some fond memories of school.

From the age of nine I started to attend, in the company of an older friend who was 11 at the time, St Albans Youth Club.

St Albans was a great, safe, place. They held discos on at least four nights a week, which a lot of kids and older teenagers attended, which made a special atmosphere because we all mixed together whatever age we were.

It also had a gym, which we could also use on certain evenings.

But as time would have it, it closed down. I don't know the reason why, as I was only 14 at the time, and didn't really understand about funding and so on.

To get to the point, where have all the youth clubs gone?

Is this why young children are growing up too quickly? As far as I can see, there is nothing for my children, let alone the countless other children to do, but hang around the streets, which is very boring and freezing in the winter.

I know I've been there and done that. I grew up in Bewsey, where I know there has always been a good community. Be it good or bad, there was always a togetherness, within all age groups. Now all there is to do is nothing but the only recreational activity kids have all over the country, not just in Warrington - drugs and gang-related crimes.

I think the kids need things to do, so they can have a childhood and not grow up too fast!

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