CCTV cameras have been provided at a Bradford housing complex in a bid to tackle anti-social behaviour which has been plaguing their lives.

People living in the Hetton Drive and Wetton Court areas of Laisterdyke have faced increased incidents of drug dealing and stolen cars being dumped and set on fire on grassland near to their housing association homes.

Now Accent Housing and Manningham Housing Association have teamed up with police and Bradford Council to provide six vandal-proof CCTV cameras to overlook the area.

Tim Bamber, who deals with anti-social behaviour for Accent Housing, said complaints from residents about anti-social behaviour had increased and the housing associations had responded to the cries for help and done something about it.

Mr Bamber said the problems had included stolen cars being set on fire, garden fences being damaged, and rowdy youths congregating on the street.

He said: "We decided to put in CCTV because it has worked in other areas and we thought it would be viable.

"There will be a communications centre, manned 24 hours a day, which will be able to play back images live. We can also monitor the cameras from our PCs and laptops, capture images of an offender and send them straight to police."

Housing bosses said that, at an initial cost of £12,000 and £300 a year to maintain, the cameras were good value for money.

Inspector George Bardell, of the Bradford East Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: "I would like to think this is something of a role model project. We have identified problems and worked together to put in place crime prevention measures which will help improve the lives of the residents."

West Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner Mark Burns-Williamson, who attended the unveiling of the CCTV scheme today, said: "Hopefully these cameras will deter people. If not, they will be literally caught on camera, so that powerful evidence can be gathered if they persist in making residents' lives a misery."

Bradford Council deputy leader, Councillor Imran Hussain, said: "This is another important weapon in our fight to reduce and eradicate the blight of anti-social behaviour, and improve the quality of life for local residents."

Resident Zulfiqar Ali, 69, said: "We have had problems for years but I think the cameras will stop them. Today I am happy."

Another resident, Sashalan Kauser, 29, said: "I have seen people throwing drugs into bushes and others picking them up. My kids are growing up in the area and the cameras make me feel more secure."