SCHOOL holidays at any time of the year can be a bit problematic for parents and carers of young children.

There are many things on offer from a variety of organisations including local authorities, but many have a cost attached that some people cannot afford.

On Friday, during the school half-term holiday, I took my seven-year-old grandson to Newton Aycliffe Library to see a magic science show. There was room for about 20 young children and it was well attended. The show was excellent, full of learning and making science a fun and interesting subject. The library staff were, naturally, very helpful.

The show was a prime example of how libraries are not just about books and can be used as an enjoyable learning reference for a variety of subjects in a variety of ways at any time and at little cost.

We need to retain such diamonds in our communities.

Oh, by the way, the cost for a most enjoyable hour was just 50 pence.

John Walker, Newton Aycliffe