YOUR front-page article about drug-takers around Maggs Day Centre (Evening News, March 8) begs a response from us.

I think some of the quotes you reported are exaggerated, possibly for effect.

We at Maggs recognise that many of our clients are drug addicts, but the impression created by your article that students at the Technical College have to fight their way daily through hordes of addicts using needles in the street nearby is way over the top.

Maggs staff and I are in and out of the centre day after day. None of us has ever seen an addict injecting in the street outside the centre (or anywhere else come to that).

We clean up rubbish round the centre every day and have never found any needles in the gardens around St Alban's chapel. We have needle disposal bins in the centre.

As your article reported, we are working with the college to minimise any possible conflict between our users and the staff and pupils and have a good working relationship with the college.

I share the concerns of any parent who sees someone injecting in a public place and would ask that, if seen, an immediate report is made to the police.

But please don't assume that Maggs clients are leading the students astray - they can do that all on their own.

I have been told that Maggs is in the wrong place. Presumably the sight of some of society's most disadvantaged folk offends some people. We are looking for larger premises and would welcome anyone who can tell us "the right place."

ROBERT PEACHEY,

Chairman.

MAGGS Day Centre,

Worcester.