OUR town hit the national headlines again this week for all the wrong reasons.

After days of deliberations the jury finally found three of five young men guilty of the murder of Garry Newlove.

When the pictures of the guilty three arrived in our offices on Wednesday I couldn't believe how young they looked.

They are children - but all the same - children who have killed.

How did it all go so horribly wrong for them?

We can blame drink, drugs, bad parenting, lack of police and rotten schools without discipline.

But who knows why they could do something so dreadful?

I've been looking at the comments left by readers on this website and they make for interesting reading.

From those who want the killers hanged to those of a similar age who know the three lads and went to school with them.

They say they are not really bad, but decent lads at heart.

But how can one human being kick another repeatedly in the head "like a football" and not know they will inflict serious injury or death?

I can't begin to think what their parents must be thinking. How can they go on with their lives knowing what their children have done?

Will they still live in this town or will they move elsewhere?

As a parent of lads, I know it's not always easy to keep them under control. But we do our best to steer them on the right road with love and attention.

Yet many of our young people don't seem to be getting this attention and seem to have a total lack of respect for others.

Youngsters with no direction, no prospects and no hope.

Last week I was privileged enough to be part of the Warrington Junior Sports Personality of the Year Awards.

I met a whole group of youngsters who were disciplined, driven and successful.

Their loving parents looked on in pride as they were awarded their medals and trophies.

Contrast that to Garry Newlove's killers.

So how can we stop this happening again?

It's high time we use America's example and raise the drinking age to 21 - banning anyone from buying alcohol of any kind from supermarkets, off-licences or pubs until they are that age and can produce ID.

People are talking about boot camps and a return to National Service and perhaps that's not such a bad idea.

But these words have been echoed before and it's action we need from this Government not just empty promises.

So it's over to you Helen and Helen - our town's MPs - I await with interest to see why we really pay you those salaries and if you have the balls to stand up and fight for Warrington.