On a recent nice sunny day, I decided to have a walk past my local parks, expecting to see at least one football match.

What did I see? I saw five empty pitches, with not a game in sight. I am referring to Clarence Park and Hoyle Playing Fields. Probably all the other parks in Bury are the same. What is wrong with sport in Bury? Do we not play games any more?

There has been a suggestion, in recent years, that Bury Metro charges such exorbitant rents for football pitches owned by them, that no teams can afford to play on them. If this is the case, can nothing be done about it, or does football have to die?

In days gone by there were a number of works football teams, who had their own grounds but, with the demise of so much industry, these have disappeared.

Similarly, as far as I am aware, we have not had cricket pitches run by the council. Without the support of a few churches and village teams, cricket would be in the same predicament as football. Cricket is in the same boat as football, in that, works teams and pitches have disappeared with the demise of the companies.

What are the youth of today expected to do with their free time if they are not encouraged to play sport? Can't school playing fields be used by outside organisations for cricket and football at a nominal rent, in order to save our national sports? I look forward to your comments with interest.

PETER COUPE Bury