Teenager drowns

My deepest condolences go out to Damien's family and friends, and my thoughts are with the friends who tried in vain to pull him out of the pool. I can't imagine what they are going through right now.

There has been an out pouring of tributes on This is Staffordshire, but I also picked up on something else, which has now been spelled out in today’s article.

There is just nothing for these kids to do. Go on a kid’s park, and they are moaned at. Stand on a street corner and they're moaned at. Given that there's just nothing to do, they are bound to get into bother.

In today’s Sentinel Article, they speak of asking the council for some facilities, where they can go, so that they don't have to hang around kids parks.

It's a sentiment that’s been echoed on this site. Youth clubs don't need to cost the earth. You have responsible adults helping kids to grow and develop, to get past the boredom.

Some people have commented saying why should kids like this group just get what they want? The answer is simply they have nothing else.

Why can't kids make there own entertainment? They do, and it normally leads to trouble of some sort. We've all been there. Plus for the past 15 the school curriculum has hampered anything to do with creative thinking and expression.

It's a two way street, where adults and kids need to come together, and work on these projects. Time for a positive change.

Hopefully schemes like this Sundays fun day down the Bankeyfields Park, only streets away from Nash peak can see a start to this process.

Pool tragedy: Mother leads tributes to Damien, 18

Police name drowned teenager

Teenager dies in fishing pool