I LEFT school, aged 15, many years ago. Looking back, I was lucky in that, like many other young lads of my age, I found employment in the coal mines.

It should be remembered that in the 1950s a miner could leave a colliery and go to work at a neighbouring colliery without any problem because their was plenty of work in the Durham coal field. It is sad that so many young lads today have problems in finding suitable employment.

Who is to blame for this crime?

Certainly, it is not the fault of the youngsters who are leaving school.

More workshops should be created by the Government to train our youngsters in the skills they need to gain lucrative employment, instead of signing on.

When my oldest brother left school in the 1940s he started work at East Hetton colliery, in Kelloe. He soon got sick of going down that hole in the ground and joined the merchant navy.

Jimmy Taylor, Coxhoe.