A WOMAN who lost her husband to smoking says she is fed up of seeing a crowd of schoolchildren lighting up in an alleyway.

Jean Wright, of Crossbeck Road, says a group of pupils from Ilkley Grammar School spend their lunch times sending their lunch money up in smoke.

The gang regularly congregates on the footpath, which

connects Crossbeck Road to Cowpasture Road.

Mrs Wright said: "Whenever I go round there at lunch-times they are there. They just sit there smoking.

"I lost my husband to smoking. It always seems a shame when I see these young people starting."

Mrs Wright said the youngsters also leave a trail of litter in their wake at the snicket.

She said: "They come here to smoke, eat and drink and throw their rubbish in the alleyway.

"Apparently it is not cool to take your rubbish away with you. I wonder what their parents, who I am sure keep their gardens spotless, think of such behaviour.

"If it has not yet come to their attention I will be glad to enlighten them."

Mrs Wright has attempted to contact Peter Wood, the headteacher of the school, but as yet has had no reply.

She said: "I sent a letter to the headmaster. I know very well from having been a teacher for a long time and having brought up five children all young people think they can throw rubbish wherever they please. They have to taught at this stage that they cannot."

Head teacher Mr Wood said: "It is very annoying when the school is let down by a few pupils who do not behave properly.

"We take this kind of complaint very seriously and have already written to Mrs Wright to apologise on behalf of the school and to ask if she can help us to identify the pupils concerned.

"We will keep an eye on it to make sure that the problem does not occur. We do all we can to stress to our pupils that they must be good ambassadors for the school in our local community."

Mrs Wright has also taken the matter up with Ilkley Parish Council.

She said: "I sent a copy to Councillor Robinson, the chairman of the parish council.

"I had a very nice message from her saying they would bring it up at the next parish council meeting."

Coun Robinson said: "It is very sad in this day and age that this sort of thing is happening.

"At the end of the day it is a lack of respect for other people and their properties.

"They are congregating, smoking and leaving their rubbish, which is bad for anybody living there. If there is a gang of them older people might find it intimidating and go around another way to avoid it."