Councillors have told of their delight after 42 cars were removed from behind a former Bradford pub.

The vehicles had been a blight on the landscape for more than 18 months, according to representatives of Clayton and Fairweather Green ward.

Cars were packed on to a yard behind the former Reservoir pub in Allerton Road, a patch of land described as having a “previously open and green character”.

The vehicles were also targeted by vandals and arsonists, and were also considered an environmental threat to the nearby Bradford Beck.

Labour councillors for the ward, Michelle Swallow, Carol Thirkill and Sinead Engel, have been campaigning since last April for an enforcement action to remove the cars. But it was beyond Bradford Council’s powers, they said.

Yesterday the DVLA stepped in to take away 42 of the vehicles which still had registered keepers and were parked there illegally. Six vehicles were left behind because they had SORN notices.

Representatives from the DVLA were expected to be on the site until about 3am today.

Coun Thirkill said: “It is positive progress.

“I am absolutely over the moon that it has happened - and I am sure all the residents will be as well.

“It is good news all round – we just need to get the site tidied up now.”

Coun Engel, who spent time at the site yesterday as the cars were removed, said: “It is just fantastic. I am really glad it has been sorted out.”

One resident said it was “great” action was being taken, and added: “It has basically been used as a scrapyard - it has been terrible.

“It has been mayhem, they have destroyed trees and grass. It has been a disaster.

“It was a lovely garden that belonged to the pub.”

Coun Swallow praised her colleague, saying: “Those cars have been the bane of our lives.

“I want to say thanks for all the hard work of Carol Thirkill. She literally moved heaven and earth and cars – she really did push for it.”

She added: “It is about time they were moved.”

The cars were targeted in an arson attack at the end of last November.