EVERY right-minded person in this country will be horrified to learn of the fatal shooting of 11-year-old Rhys Jones in Liverpool.

And many will be asking who, or what, is responsible for the dreadful increase in violent crime we have seen in recent years.

I will tell you the answer. The blame must lie squarely on the shoulders of the makers of films and television programmes which exhibit such crimes for our entertainment, and on every viewer who watches them, presumably for enjoyment.

I beg all who read this letter to ask themselves why they do indeed watch such material, and to form the habit of switching off immediately they suspect some vicious violence is about to be displayed.

If this habit became general the programme-makers would soon respond and, we may hope, the relentless rise in violence on our streets might be halted.

Hector C Parr, Romaldkirk, near Barnard Castle, Co Durham.