Teenagers’ concern

Jul 16 2008 by Our Correspondent, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

ON Friday evening I was in Lindley, sitting with a friend in his seriously broken car (the front suspension had collapsed), waiting for the breakdown service to arrive, when a group of a dozen teenagers – boys and girls - approached along the pavement.

After a few minutes of amusement at the sorry state of the car, one of the boys came up to us to ask what had happened and whether they could help us in any way.

The whole group showed real concern for two elderly gentlemen and stayed and chatted to us, entertaining us and keeping us company for another hour while we continued to wait for the car to be recovered.

At all times they were friendly, courteous and good-humoured company, even when after half an hour a police car drove up at speed with lights flashing and stopped alongside us. They had been summoned by a well-meaning local resident who had presumed (wrongly) that we were being harassed and were in danger.

The young people accepted this visit stoically as part of teenage life, being assumed to be trouble makers just because they are young.

When the AA arrived the group left us. In the whole time they were with us I only heard one mild swear word used.

These young people were a real credit to their parents, their school and especially to themselves and should be appreciated as such.

We were also touched by the concern of three of the immediate residents who were equally concerned and whose offers of tea and coffee were much appreciated.

Name and address supplied