RESIDENTS in an area of Bradford say they are risking serious repercussions by informing the authorities of anti-social behaviour and drug dealing on their doorstep.

Those that live in Thornbury Drive Bradford, say they are being terrorised on a daily basis by drug dealing, noise from groups of people congregating at the bottom of the road, speeding cars and quad bikes, littering, urinating near homes and abusive language.

They say they have been reporting incidents since 2011 to the police with little action taken.

Councillors Mohammed Shafiq (Labour, Bradford Moor) and Riaz Ahmed (Lib Dem, Bradford moor) met a group of residents in Thornbury Drive at the weekend to discuss how to get the authorities to respond to their calls for help.

"Cllr Shafiq said: "Several residents came to me at a surgery I was holding on Saturday to say they needed something doing about the anti-social behaviour.

"They have genuine concerns and we need more monitoring of the area by the authorities because people's lives are being affected. The people who live here deserve as much action by the authorities as those who live in other areas.

"I am going to make a report to Councillor Abdul Jabar, the portfolio holder for neighbourhoods and community safety to see if an effort can be made by the Council to see if additional resources can be found."

Cllr Ahmed added: "I know of families moving out of the street because they have had enough of the anti-social behaviour with nothing being done about it.

"A lot of the problem is that people are scared to come forward and report crimes."

Resident Mohammed Latif said he had written to the authorities several times since 2011 and while his letters were acknowledged with the promise of help, things have been getting worse.

"I have reported incidents and then the next day I have had my car windscreen smashed. This has happened twice but still the drug dealers gather at the bottom of the street at all times of day and night.

"My daughter has to walk past them and suffers abuse. It is wrong."

He also kept a chart of events on an incident diary he was given by the police but the problems have continued.

Mr Latif also raised issues of drug-dealing in a public perception survey issued by the police and crime commissioner Mark Burns-Williamson in 2015.

Mr Burns responded saying Bradford East MP Imran Hussain, after being contacted by residents, had also raised the issue of drug-dealing and anti-social behaviour at that location with West Yorkshire Police.

Another resident said he had made a report to police and three of his van's tyres were slashed as a result.

Cllr Shafiq added: "What we don't want to happen is for the problems residents here are facing to be simply moved to another area. The whole of the district needs monitoring and action taken."

West Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Mark Burns-Williamson said:

“Prior to the written correspondence in November 2015 following feedback from the survey, my office did attempt to contact Mr Latif directly over the phone in order to gather further details surrounding the issues he was experiencing.

“We were, however, at that time unable to get in touch and the information provided within his survey return was limited.

“In spite of this, the same issues of drug dealing and anti-social behaviour had already been identified and raised with the police in the Bradford District.

“I’m disappointed to now learn of these continued activities within his community and the level of support Mr Latif feels he has received to date, and clearly the offer of assistance through my office still stands.

“I will raise this further with the local Neighbourhood Policing Team for the area to understand what has already been done and what more might be achieved working with partners locally to tackle the ongoing problems he has highlighted through the T&A.”

Councillor Jabar added: “Any type of antisocial or illegal behaviour is simply unacceptable. It’s vital that people feel safe wherever they live in the district. What’s always essential for dealing with these issues robustly is a strong partnership approach, so I’ve already been discussing it with my colleague the ward councillor, Cllr Shafiq, to identify what can be done to support the police to tackle it and to help the decent majority of people in the local community.”