The Argus' coverage of the attempt to crack down on beggars in Brighton made interesting reading.

Unfortunately, none of your contributors managed to come up with the main reason for beggars being on the street.

About 12 years ago, when I was involved with a local charity, a young girl of 16 approached our organisation for help.

She said she was at the "crossroads of her life" and needed some advice.

During our two-hour interview she told us she had just been released from social services' care and the only way she could survive was to beg.

We told her we may be able to assist by finding her accommodation and a job.

This, she said, was of no interest to her because any job we may be able to offer would not provide the amount of income she was currently earning.

She told us that as a beggar, her average "earnings" were £12 an hour.

"If I decide to move to London," she added, "I can make at least £20 an hour."

It seems to me the only way to stop begging is to make it a criminal offence to give money to beggars.

-Gerald E Howard, Brighton