Is the Dimbles really like Beirut?

For anyone who has seen the front page of the Lichfield Mercury this week, you'll know that a councillor's likening of the Dimbles to Beirut hasn't gone down well.

Apparently, it's the last thing the area needs. I tend to disagree.

The last thing the Dimbles needs is a sugar-coated vision of itself. Don't let the wave of community spirit in the wake of the death of Michael Eccles fool you into thinking the area was rolling meadows with a fabled London blitz community spirit - it wasn't.

The Dimbles was a place where you never felt safe. You only have to look at the amount of times you'd see a police car in the area to get a vibe for what it was really like.

To get through its problems, the Dimbles community needs to take a stand in much the way it has in the aftermath of the recent tragedy. But like anyone with a problem, the first step towards recovery is to admit you have a problem.

And no matter what the community say right now, they do have a problem.