A MAN fighting to improve the estate he lives on has fallen victim to vandals who threw blue paint over his cars.

The vehicles, a Land Rover Discovery and a Vauxhall Corsa, were parked in a courtyard outside a house in Boltby Lane, Buttershaw Estate. 

The resident, who asked not to be named, is part of the Buttershaw Neighbourhood Watch Group, which is bringing people together from across the estate in a show of strength against the problems they say their area faces. 

It now boasts more than 400 members on its Facebook group and is making links with police, Highways and the Council to make a difference. 

The resident said: “My wife noticed it. She was really, really upset.

“I’m not letting it get to me. It’s making me more determined to fight back and stop these idiots.

“This is not going to stop us – it’s making us even more determined to solve the problems.

“If this is what you get for helping the estate, it’s obvious they don’t want help.

“It’s not going to stop me fighting for what I believe in. I’m trying to make it a better place for everyone to live in.

“People walking past couldn’t believe it and are asking ‘what’s all this about?’.

“If anyone has got a problem with me, come and say it to me, face to face – don’t target my property. 

“They are just bullies. It’s a bullying mentality.”

He added that it was not just him facing these kind of problems.

Councillor Angela Tait (Lab, Royds) who has been working with the group, said: “I’m sickened. What can you say? It’s absolutely despicable.

“They are just cowards. What sort of message does this send to everyone else that’s trying to do good and make the community better.”

At the heart of the group lies one simple message – if you see something, report it. 

It’s a message which Cllr Tait wants to hammer home.

“Report, report, report,” she said. “It can be anonymous. 

“It’s really, really difficult and I totally appreciate where people are coming from, but they’ve got to continue to report.”

She added that the group was having an impact and its presence had led to some positive outcomes, including bikes being seized. 

“We need more people pulling together and outing the bad elements,” she said.

“We need more so that it makes the bad into the minority.”

While the resident said the paint was now coming off the vehicles, he had lost a day’s work to do it. 

And although he said he had not heard anything, he had seen youths tipping bins over earlier on the evening of the attack.

A car in the street was also left with no tyres. 

The resident said: “If anybody knows who has done it, please report it.”

A West Yorkshire Police spokesperson said: “Police have spoken with members of the new Neighbourhood Watch scheme in Buttershaw and are working with them and other partners to address local crime issues. 

“Inquiries are continuing into this particular incident which is believed to have occurred between 11pm on November 2 and 7.30am on November 3. Anyone with information which may assist is asked to contact the Bradford South Area Neighbourhood Team on 101, quoting crime reference 13170512163.”