Toller Lane police chiefs today promised to step up police presence in the Lumb Lane area of Manningham after five days of clashes between rival gangs. Meanwhile £9.7 million is being spent on improving jobs and training opportunities for local young people. Will this be enough to heal divisions in this inner city neighbourhood? Social Affairs Reporter Sarah Walsh investigates.

STEPHEN BOYLE has lived and worked in some of the country's meanest streets: Moss Side in Manchester and Brixton and the Holloway Road areas of London. He is now in charge of the £9.7 million programme to help young people in Manningham and Girlington.

Mr Boyle is no stranger to inner city problems of drugs, deprivation and street violence.

And he is concerned about what he has seen around the Lumb Lane area of Manningham in the past week.

"In a year here I have never seen anything like this before," he says.

"I was driving home along Lumb Lane on Friday and there were all sorts of people hanging about on the streets. Different cars were about that I've never seen around before.

"There is clearly tension between Asians and Afro-Caribbeans and this is something we deplore."

Problems this week have centred around the Young Lions Caf, a focal point for members of the local Afro-Caribbean community, which has been pelted with stones and firebombed.

Escalating tension resulted in a dramatic stand-off on Friday when police had to attend in numbers to separate the sides. But despite police intervention over the weekend there was a further flare-up when the Young Lions premises were attacked again in the early hours of Monday morning.

Today the police say are putting extra resources into the area. Chief Superintendent Phil Read, head of Toller Lane division, said: "We recognise there are tensions between the black and Asian communities in the Lumb Lane/Green Lane area.

"We have stepped up police presence in the area to reassure the public and prevent the small criminal element from further undermining the community. At the same time we are working closely with the community to resolve these problems and ease tensions."

Local residents have complained to Councillor Sajawal Hussain (Labour, University) about the caf, alleging that it disturbs them by staying open until after midnight.

He said he was concerned that the caf was splitting the community rather than fostering relations. "What we need here are more places where people from different communities can intermingle, not create tensions."

Others blame the violence on unemployment and lack of opportunities.

Karl Oxford, of the Afro-Caribbean Economic Establishment, said: "There is a lot of unemployment in the Asian and black community - a higher level than in the white community.

"They feel hurt and wounded. They have got too much time on their hands for negative things. A lot of these people are very intelligent and could contribute so positively to Bradford."

Stephen Boyle says the cash flowing from the Single Regeneration Budget is already creating prospects for young ethnic minority people in the health service, motor trade and construction.

In addition £50,000 of SRB cash will pay for two new 'bobbies on the beat' - one whose brief is to tackle drugs problems in the neighbourhood. "We are optimistic about the impact these two new posts will have," he said.

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