police have unveiled a powerful new weapon in their fight against Keighley youths who are terrorising local communities.

Officers have been equipped with a state-of-the-art infra red video camera which is capable of capturing acts of anti-social behaviour by night and by day.

The specialist equipment has been introduced to deter youths from causing a public nuisance during the dark autumn and winter evenings.

And police chiefs say the camera has already been used to great effect in the Knowle Park area.

Chief Inspector Steve Hobson said: "We haven't made any arrests but the video camera has been successful in reducing the number of complaints about public disorder, particularly in the Knowle Park area.

"It has become quite clear that those people concerned don't like having the camera pointed at them.

"The camera acts as a deterrent more than anything, but is also a means of gathering intelligence.

"It's done very openly in that people are told they are being filmed and the reasons why they are being filmed."

Chief Inspector Hobson said the new equipment was being used by the newly reformed POP team (Problem Oriented Policing) as well as "reactive" officers.

The POP team is also carrying out regular patrols of the area.

Residents in the Lund Park, Holycroft and Fell Lane area say they have been terrified by large gangs of youths letting off powerful fireworks.

There have also been reports of fireworks being placed under cars and pushed through letterboxes, which has led some people to start placing buckets of water behind their front doors.

Abdul Motin, of the Bangladeshi Community Asspociation, told a meeting last week that it was not an issue of race and the Bangladeshi community was "equally sick" of the noise and disruption the irresponsible use of fireworks was causing.

He said the community would like to distance itself from the minority of hooligans who were causing the problems.

Keighley police, Keighley fire service and West Yorkshire Trading Standards have launched a joint initiative to crack down on retailers selling fireworks to children.

The team has written to shop owners for co-operation and has carried out test purchases at those shops suspected of selling fireworks to people under 18-years-of-age.

Community safety officer Inspector Nigel Cawthorne said: "We are reminding retailers that the minimum age required to buy fireworks has increased from 16 to 18.

"It is an offence to sell fireworks to any person who appears to be under the age of 18 and positive action will be taken if retailers contravene the regulations."

The campaign is also targeting retailers who are selling illegal fireworks to members of the public

Last week 18 illegal fireworks were removed from sale in Keighley as part of the clampdown.

Anyone who witnesses a suspected sale of fireworks to an under-age person or has information regarding offences being committed should contact the POP team on 01274 537458.