Fed-up residents want to show the red card to children playing football in the road.

One man, who asked the Keighley News not to name him for fear of reprisals, even wants to form his own team of opponents in the hope of blowing the final whistle on the games in North Dean Road, Keighley.

He hopes to arrange a meeting with Keighley Police Chief Supt Steve Priestley and is inviting neighbours to join him, feeling the more people are involved the stronger will be the case. Any-one interested is asked to ring 01535 601754.

The man, who is in his 50s and has lived in North Dean Avenue for 12 years, says children from four to 17 do not use a playing field behind his home and instead use the road as a football pitch every night. He says they claim the field is too wet.

The man says balls regularly hit doors and windows and says the footballers trample through gardens without asking permission.

The man says police appear unwilling to take action. "If I parked my car on the road without an excise licence I would end up in court," he says. "But these youngsters are breaking the Highway Act and council bye-laws."

No one from the police was available for comment.

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