THERE are opinion polls and opinion polls. But when one by a nationally respected children's charity says that people in the Bolton area believe that drugs are the greatest single threat to a happy childhood we would be foolish not to believe them.

NCH Action for Children is a well-known name locally. It supports more than 11,000 vulnerable children in the North-west alone and runs Crowthorn School in Edgworth as well as other successful projects in the area.

In their telephone poll, however, nearly half of all people spoken to believed that drugs were the greatest threat to children's happiness. Violence at home and family breakdown followed close behind.

Sensibly, most of the people questioned were still optimistic about our children's future. "More opportunities" were quoted as the biggest single hope factor, followed by better education.

We not only applaud the work of this excellent charity, but also their approach to modern problems. Their findings bear out what ordinary people now think. Governments would be well advised to note their findings, and the practical way they tackle them.