SUTTON parents who have been sent letters by the police about their children's behaviour have defended their youngsters' right to play on the streets.

Andrew and Jeanette Longbottom, of Albert Street, were sent a letter under Operation Nipper, a police initiative to combat nuisance behaviour, about their son, Daniel.

But, they say, Daniel, 11, had done nothing more than play in the street with other children - and that the action taken by the police was unfair.

"The kids were just playing out," Mr Longbottom said. "They weren't causing any vandalism, or smashing windows or anything. They weren't swearing or shouting, or doing any harm.

"If my kids had been disrespectful or rowdy I would have been the first to pull them away, but they were just playing on their skateboards.They should be allowed to play on the street."

He said that the complaints had arisen from one household on Crofter's Mill and that the police appeared to be taking sides.

"Daniel's name is on file now, and they have warned if he gets noticed by the police again, he could be arrested and have a criminal record. It's just kid-bashing," Mr Longbottom added.

The children have been playing near the entrance to the Crofter's Mill estate near the cricket ground. Mr Longbottom said this was a relatively safe area for the children to play.

He said that most residents did not mind the presence of the children, and some stopped to watch them perform their tricks.

He added that he welcomed the idea mooted at the parish council for a skateboard park, but didn't think children should be "herded" into areas.

Parent Stuart Toulmin also received a letter about his 12-year old son, Josh. He said he was disappointed the police hadn't come to him first.

"It isn't as though they have done anything wrong," he added.

Josh and Daniel said they thought it was unfair that they were in trouble for playing. "We kept away from the houses and we weren't cheeky or noisy," Josh added.

Parish councillor Joe Bamford has asked the police to withdraw the letters and apologise.

Local Area Police Commander Sgt Steve Scott told the Herald: "There have been problems with skateboarders on the Crofter's Mill estate since September.

"The letters sent to parents are part of Operation Nipper, which is a county-wide initiative against nuisance behaviour."

He said that on receiving a complaint from a member of the public, the police attend the incident and try to sort it out.

"If the problem continues, then officers get details of the youths involved and a standard letter is sent to parents," he said.

"That's what happened with the kids down at Crofter's Mill."

He said that one family in particular had been affected by the children's behaviour but that it was not a case of taking their word against another.

"The kids are playing, but the problem is that their playing is causing a nuisance to other people," Sgt Scott said.

He added he welcomed moves to look at providing a skate park in the village. "Hopefully the skate park will divert some of the kids away," he said.

Sgt Scott defended the letters sent out to parents and said he would not be withdrawing them.

"The letters are not the thin end of the wedge to criminal records. They are not cautions," he said. "They are a recordable means of showing what we have done about complaints and a way of raising parents' awareness of their children's behaviour.

"If we withdraw them then we are saying they are not actually causing a nuisance, but they have been," he said.