IT has sounded like a war zone in the Smithills and Great Lever areas last weekend, as probably elsewhere in Bolton, and it has had to be endured for weeks.

Surely this is disturbance of the peace on a grand scale.

As a carer of an almost stone-deaf gentleman, even he heard the volleys of "gunshot fire", and winced each time.

Speaking nightly on the phone to a pensioner friend in the Great Lever area, he sounded demented at the relentless banging "hour after hour", only to be awakened at 4.30am, and 3.30am by fireworks on following nights.

I saw young children one Sunday afternoon setting off loud bangers in a schoolyard and nearby green in Bridgeman Street. There is obviously now no connection between Guy Fawkes and November 5 and fireworks.

The hordes of children "Trick and Treating" at this time of the year are intimidating to the elderly , who give a treat in case of reprisals. We have acquiesced to children. We have laws that we cannot enforce. The silent majority -- babies, the elderly and animals are helpless.

J Caton

(Name and address supplied)