THE story that appeared in last week"s Renfrewshire Gazette about Ian Wilson deciding to hand the homeless of Renfrewshire fake �20 notes with a map pointing out the nearest job centre on the back of them was startling to say the least.

Wilson, who is retired, claimed he was giving them a "taste of their own medicine" but was also making a "helpful suggestion" to them.

This was a strange piece of news but I also found it very depressing that a person could be so cruel to so many unfortunate people.

The Kilbarchan resident"s point was that homeless people are lazy and should get off their backsides and get a job.

Yet, he has obviously failed to realise that beggars in towns simply do not choose a life on the cold streets. Who on earth would want to spend the rest of their days in such a degrading fashion?

The majority of homeless people wind up without a roof over their heads because of reasons out of their control - and one of those reasons certainly is not sluggishness.

They could have lost their job or they are unable to find employment due to health problems. And in some cases when young people end up on the streets it"s because they have suffered from violence in their own household.

Homelessness is a problem in Renfrewshire and the rest of Scotland. But the problem won"t be solved with hostility towards homeless people.

If Mr Wilson was really that concerned about helping the homeless get off the streets and into work he would have joined a charity years ago.