I HAVE read with interest the news reports coming out saying that the average person under 30 now has unsecured debts of nearly £8,000.

I myself am under 30 and this information really does not surprise me.

What does surprise me is the Government's lack of action to protect young people, especially around the 18 to 24 age group.

Once I turned 18 I was amazed by the number of credit card offers that came through my letterbox.

They use the electoral roll to target young people when they turn 18 and offer small limits at first around £200.

Then, once this is spent, they slowly increase the limit and then once the young person can't service this debt, they hit them with a £20 late or non-payment fee. Surely the Government needs to crack down on this manipulative marketing to starry-eyed young people who are used to living off pocket money.

I also feel in the last year of secondary-school education some learning time must be afforded to the perils of purchasing items on credit.

As, like the news reports say, by the time they are 30 their life may well be under enormous strain servicing debts which could have been avoided.

John Andrews,

Wenham Road,

Woodlands,

York.

Updated: 09:05 Tuesday, April 25, 2006