Residents in a Bradford village have called for a greater police presence in the village following claims not enough was being done to stop anti-social behaviour.

Reported incidents in Cullingworth include graffiti, vandalism to buildings and in the latest episode a group of teenagers were seen firing an air rifle at a house.

Cullingworth Parish Council chairman Bryan Hobson condemned police and claimed that despite several calls being made to report the incident no action had been taken.

But today Sergeant Esther Hobbs, of Bingley's neighbourhood policing team, said Cullingworth was the team's "priority area" in the Bingley Rural ward and positive action was being taken.

Mr Hobson said the council had called for Anti-Social Behaviour Orders to be made against the youngsters involved, and a greater police presence in the evenings.

He said: "All the trouble happens between 6pm and midnight. Nothing happens throughout the day so to have yellow-jacketed officers wandering around in the day time is a waste of time.

"But from 6pm the youngsters start to roam and that is when the patrols should be about."

But Sgt Hobbs said the Bingley-based team, which includes Police Community Support Officers (PCSO) and uniformed officers, patrolled the village every evening.

Sgt Hobbs said the patrols had yielded success with three teenagers being arrested and cautioned in recent weeks for anti-social behaviour.

Their DNA, photographs and fingerprints were taken and they have been told that Anti-Social Behaviour Orders will be made against them if their behaviour does not improve.

Sgt Hobbs said a PCSO had confiscated more than 40 cans of lager from one group of teenagers during an evening patrol and stressed that the air rifle incident was being investigated fully.

She said despite residents' fears the number of reported incidents in the village was low.

Sgt Hobbs said: "Through our neighbourhood tasking team meetings we have identified Cullingworth as our number one priority.

"In the past three weeks there have been just 13 reported incidents in the ward.

"We are out every evening but maybe it is just that people do not see us as they have their curtains drawn and it is obviously dark. We feel we are doing some positive work up there."

Sgt Hobbs said Cullingworth had been identified as the priority village in the Bingley Rural ward because although crime was not any worse than anywhere else it was concentrated in a smaller area.

She added the tasking meetings were an opportunity for residents to tell police about their crime concerns.

Anyone with information about youngsters carrying firearms or weapons should contact the team on (01274) 537441.