Families living near cat lover Jenny Sampson have told of the misery they say her 19 pets are causing.

Mrs Sampson, of Rossmore Drive, Allerton, is appealing to magistrates against an order from Bradford Council requiring her to stop the pets causing a nuisance.

Michael Hume, 67, said he called the police believing there was a burglar when he woke up to noises downstairs at dawn. It turned out a white cat had been accidentally shut in the house and had smashed crystal ornaments.

Donald Relton, of Rossmore Drive, Allerton, said: "They are just a nuisance, digging up the gardens and wandering about and making security lights come on. I have bottles with water in, not washing up liquid, and I squirt it at them and they go away. I find the garden littered with mess and spend half an hour at the weekend cleaning it up."

Pauline Danby, 55, who has lived in the street for 30 years, said: "When you look out, there's a stream of cats. We are constantly having to go and clean up. Nobody says there isn't a need for cats to be looked after, but this isn't the place."

Freda Pedder, 66, who has lived in Rossmore Drive for 36 years, said she had put up barbed wire and used a sonic anti-cat device to try to keep the animals out, but it had failed.

Irene Railton, who has lived in the street since her house was built 41 years ago, said: "It has gone on for five years and we have had enough of it."

Resident Roy Henderson said dead mice and shrews were left on driveways by cats and they climbed from garage roofs into houses through partially-closed bedroom windows.

If Mrs Sampson fails in her appeal, she faces a £500 penalty each time the order is broken or can be fined £5,000 if she is taken to court.

The order was served on Mrs Sampson after 55 people living nearby signed a petition protesting about the problems. But she says she has bought cat-repellents for the families and offered to clear up any mess.

Mrs Sampson said: "I have always said I would clean up after the cats and I will if they ask me."

Mrs Sampson is a partner with the voluntary Prune Park Cat Rescue but she has taken some of the animals in as her own pets because they have health problems.