A senior Bradford councillor believes she has fallen victim to a “sickening” attack by animal rights extremists after acid was poured over two cars parked outside her home.

The attackers caused thousands of pounds of damage when they let down tyres and stripped paint from the cars in the driveway of Coun Anne Hawkesworth’s house in Ilkley.

She said there was a “strong possibility” she had been targeted by extremists because of her support for controversial grouse shoots on Ilkley Moor.

The vandals struck early yesterday as she was preparing for a meeting of the Regional Transport Board in a bid to secure £34.4 million for major projects in Bradford district.

Her husband’s Vauxhall Astra was written off and her Vauxhall Tigra will now have to be re-sprayed. She said: “I only realised when I was driving away that something was wrong with the car.

“The paint has been stripped off, one of the cars is going to have to be re-sprayed, and acid has gone on to the drive as well “I felt sickened. I don’t know how much it is going to cost but it will be an awful lot of money.”

Bradford Council’s chief executive Tony Reeves has now agreed to install CCTV surveillance at the councillor’s home in a bid to prevent further attacks.

But Coun Hawkesworth, the Conservative executive member for the environment, said she feared for the personal safety of other councillors.

She said: “I have real concerns for elected representatives who publish their addresses on the official Council list that they could get into this terrible state if other groups take exception to other decisions. Where does it end?”

No-one has so far claimed responsibility for the attack.

But Coun Hawkesworth believes she has been targeted for supporting the Council’s decision to grant a ten-year lease to the Bingley Moor Partnership for grouse shooting following a ten-year ban.

She became embroiled in a war of words last year with members of the West Yorkshire Hunt Saboteurs which has been vocal in its opposition to the move.

In August, its members took their protest to the centre of Bradford outside key Council offices, including Jacob’s Well and City Hall.

The animal rights extremists previously claimed they had destroyed grouse pens and traps on the moor last summer.

Police are investigating the incident.

Inspector Sue Sanderson, of Ilkley police, said: “We’ll be doing door-to-door inquiries. At this moment in time we can’t link anything to animal rights, but inquiries are ongoing and if we find there is a link, we will take the appropriate action.

“She is a senior figure in the district council and I’m sure there are people who potentially will have disagreements with her politics.”

e-mail: marc.meneaud @telegraphandargus.co.uk