Vandals from the Braithwaite council-housing estate are turning a neighbouring community into a no-go area.

People dare not visit friends living in streets around Braithwaite Road and police are urging people not to move to the area.

These are the claims of residents who say they have to face a regular barrage of theft, arson and criminal damage.

Their demands for action were due to be addressed last night at a meeting of Keighley Area Panel.

The problems centre on Braithwaite Road, Braithwaite Edge Road, Bankfield Street, Bankfield Road and Braithwaite Village.

The streets of private houses run across the top of the Braithwaite estate, which for several months has been plagued by arson attacks on cars.

Maureen Gibson, of Braithwaite Road, has submitted a 129-name petition to the area panel and claims it represents 100 per cent support.

The petition expresses residents' "grave concerns" about rapidly-escalating criminal activity.

It adds: "The boldness of a few is affecting the lives of every householder. This residential area is turning into a no-go area for cars."

Maureen, spokesman for the residents, said she collected several horror stories from her neighbours about acts of vandalism.

Householders cannot have people to visit or hold meetings in their homes because they risk cars being burned out. Others have to "guard" the cars.

Maureen said: "Roads are regularly blocked off using sandbags and barriers that workmen have left on the road or pavement.

"People with second cars have to take their car elsewhere. This means women have to walk back to their homes in the dark."

Maureen said residents report varying conversations with the police that range from sympathetic and unproductive to dismissive. "The end result is the same -- nothing," she says.

"I was told by a few people that the police had told them, and even a prospective buyer, 'don't touch Braithwaite'."

"We don't want meetings with the police or to be told something is going to be done. We want evidence. "

The residents are demanding protection for their property, CCTV cameras, improved lighting, extra police on Friday and Saturday nights, and patrols by unmarked police cars.

They also want Bradford Council to review its housing policy so that drug addicts and young single people are not placed on the Braithwaite estate.

Maureen said: "These acts off vandalism are making residents lives intolerable. We want culprits caught and our neighbourhood back."

Keighley Area Panel, which is made up of Bradford councillors representing Keighley, was due to discuss the complaints yesterday.

They were expected to ask Keighley co-ordinator Patrick Lawton to talk with other council departments about issues such as streetlighting and traffic calming.

He would also talk to Keighley Anti-Crime Partnership about possible solutions, particularly those that could involve residents.

Chief Inspector Steve Hobson, of Keighley police, said Braithwaite's community constable PC Cliff Ashton was fully aware and involved in all the issues raised by residents.

He added: "As with all areas of the Keighley division, policing problems are analysed on a daily basis and our finite resources targeted and prioritised to those areas which most need them.

"There are also other long-term initiatives which are on-going in the Braithwaite area. I can't discuss these in detail for operational reasons."

Mr Hobson says Keighley's new Problem-Orientated Policing team, which tackles anti-social behaviour, is taking action in the area.