WHEN British film icons insist on leaving London for good to live in New York because it's safer, we know the world has finally gone mad.

Joan Collins, now aged 69, was raised in North London and, although she has homes in other glamorous parts of the world, she is a Londoner at heart. But, the atmosphere of crime and aggression that pervades the streets of this country -- especially acute in London -- is finally forcing her out of her homeland.

Joan says that groups of muggers are "frequently attacking people" in the area where she lives, and her two daughters cannot walk down the street without fear.

She blames an aggressive street culture, yobbish behaviour and sheer jealousy. "In New York, people are more polite, more respectful," she states.

She hits out at the foul-mouthed, the slovenly dressed and those who care so little for their environment that they chuck their rubbish where they want to.

She highlights the positive approach to crime pioneered by former New York mayor Rudy Guiliani for making a safer city.

For London read Manchester and even Bolton, and for Joan Collins substitute many ordinary citizens.

Most people now feel that it is time to reclaim the streets for decent people, and that the yob culture has been allowed to rule for too long.

How often does this newspaper report on street muggings, robberies using violence, and complaints about the filthy state of parts of our borough?

Sadly, the answer is several times a week. Sometimes, daily. It seems to be no longer deemed "cool" to respect our elderly, to keep our community clean or to cut down on vandalism.

Delays in answering 999 calls by our under-resourced, over-stretched police force and basic inaction on local crime -- especially burglary and car crime -- have resulted in a massive loss of confidence in Government policy.

If you live in a nice area, you have to hide away your possessions. If your area is going down the nick, it is a daily battle to keep a decent lifestyle to preserve ordinary humanity.

Joan, we hear what you're saying and we understand why you are about to decamp.

Unfortunately, the rest of us are stuck here -- and would dearly love to change the state of our homeground.