ANYONE who lives in Muswell Hill and has read the article about crime in Muswell Hill printed in the Evening Standard on February 13 would have cause for concern.

The woman who wrote the item places the blame squarely on the lack of police presence in the area.

We are all affected by this problem. I am sure many people remember that Tony Andrews used to sell a very wide selection of trainers.

Since I found it a convenient place to buy shoes for my children, I was very upset when it shrank to just a key and shoe repair bar. I asked the owner for his reasons. He told me that he had feared for his life on several occasions when gangs of youths rampaged through his shop, taking advantage of the distraction to steal.

This is one concrete example of how such criminal activity narrows our own lives.

We look to our council for help but the majority Labour Party in Haringey has actively refused to support the campaign to re-open the local police station.

How exasperated do we have to become before they will take any notice of us?

|LYDIA RIVLINE,

|Muswell Avenue,

|Muswell Hill.