Letter: Visit to hometown Madeley proves to be a massive disappointment

I was so disappointed and ashamed to see the once beautiful and peaceful places now all littered with plastic and graffiti.

Rubbish scattered everywhere, slovenly people moping on street corners and the general malaise of the entire Woodside and Hilltop, Ironbridge areas in particular.

I thought Woodside had been given a facelift? Well in my opinion its worse than it ever was, houses boarded up, derelict houses, smokers sitting outside the pubs, spilled garbage bins over the congested roads, dogs running in packs. What a place. Couldn't get out of there quick enough.

Gone are the pasture lands and even the serenity of the Old Coppice just off the Madeley bypass, has been turned into a free way for dirt biking and hives for apparent drug users.

Gone are the forget-me-not flowers that once thrived on the ash tip, gone are the foxgloves that waved in the wind and gone has the the attitude and pride of people who find it easier to destroy and scar with paint and litter a place one, once could be proud of. A place of decent hard working folk with true values not imported layabouts and the work shy. If the cap fits wear it.

Once Madeley was a peaceful place, everyone knew each other, crime was rare, people took a pride in their homes and environment now it is no better than a slum.

Yes, there are pockets of decent people, who work hard, who always have and always will take a pride in their appearance and their property and they stick out like sore thumbs, being sucked into a cavern of slums. In general the birth and expansion of Telford and all that it brought with it certainly did the town no favours.

Then I ask myself what is Telford Corporation doing about this and what exactly are the high taxes and revenue being spent on? Give the unemployed and the benefit scroungers a wheelbarrow and a spade, cleaning materials and set them to work. You can recruit on any street corner.

These were good honest jobs in the 1960s and the place was a credit to Madeley people. Shame on you Telford Council. Never mind spending millions on select areas clean the whole of Telford up before you advertise it to tourists because believe me they will visit only once... it is a disgrace.

Move back to Telford? Not on your life!

Claire Hughes (nee Jones)

Ontario

Canada