Two violent robbers whose terror campaign raised the fear of crime on Bradford streets were today starting long jail sentences.

Philip Cooper and Gareth Waite pounced indiscriminately to feed their drug addiction, a court heard.

Their victims included a 77-year-old woman whose bag was snatched and two schoolchildren who were threatened with a knife.

A 39-year-old woman threatened with a craft knife in a dark alley by Cooper said she was now afraid to walk alone in the city.

Cooper, 33, of Broomfield Street, Queensbury, Bradford, was locked up indefinitely for the protection of the public.

The judge, Recorder Tony Hawks, said there was a significant risk he would cause someone serious harm.

Cooper must serve three years behind bars before he is even considered for parole.

Waite, 26, of Pasture Walk, Clayton, Bradford, was jailed for four years.

Cooper pleaded guilty to four robberies, one attempted robbery and theft from a person. Waite admitted three robberies, one robbery attempt and theft from a person.

After the case at Bradford Crown Court yesterday, Detective Inspector Noel Devine, of Bradford North Police, said: "These two men went on a spree of robberies, attacking people of all ages indiscriminately.

"Their victims included a 15-year-old girl, robbed after stepping off a school bus, and a 52-year-old woman, attacked in Brackenhill Park, Great Horton, in what were very harrowing incidents which caused genuine grief.

"These men also raised the fear of crime in the area and the danger they posed to the public has been reflected in the sentences they have received."

Prosecutor Heather Gilmore told the court Cooper carried out street robberies in Bradford in 2000 and 2005.

In the first attack, a man was hit with an iron bar and in the second a man was threatened with a knife after Cooper saw him get £20 from a cash machine.

Waite had previous convictions for theft and burglary.

Mrs Gilmore said the pair struck on September 19 this year when a 77-year-old woman was walking to Clayton Co-op.

They snatched her shopping bag containing her house keys and she was terrified her home would be broken into. She was now wary of leaving her home.

The same day, Cooper and Waite threatened a girl of 15 and a boy of 16 with a knife in a snicket off Clayton Road.

Cooper demanded their phones and purses. He grabbed the girl's arm, stealing her ring.

Mrs Gilmore said the pair then bragged after the robbery.

They next struck in Brackenhill Park, grabbing a woman round the neck, throwing her to the ground and making off with her briefcase.

Both she and the schoolgirl suffered pain in their arms and the woman had a lump on her head.

Cooper alone stalked a 39-year-old woman down a dark alleyway off Pasture Lane, Clayton. He demanded "Bag, now" and held a craft knife to her back.

She took an iron bar from her bag and struck Cooper repeatedly on the head. He dragged her bag from her and fled.

Afterwards, the woman told of her terror as Cooper came up behind her. She said she was carrying the bar after a woman was sexually attacked in the area.

She said: "I never thought I would have to use the bar but I hit him on the side of the head.

"We had a tug of war over my bag and I hit him again a few times on the top of his head. My hands were bleeding from hanging on to my bag. I was terrified but I'm glad I stood up to him for the sake of all those vulnerable victims he robbed."

Cooper joined with Waite to attack and rob a man in Horton Bank Country Park on September 22. Their victim was grabbed, kicked and robbed of his wallet containing £60.

He suffered an injured wrist and cuts to his face.

A park warden saw the pair hanging round the next day and took photos of them. They were arrested on September 24 and made full admissions.

Cooper told officers he robbed to get money for drugs.

Robin Mairs, for Cooper, said he did not seriously harm his victims. He said: "Weapons were brandished but none were used."

They pair robbed whoever came along, they did not specially target vulnerable people."

Andrew Stranex, for Waite, said: "He is being sentenced for a couple of days of complete madness."

He, too, robbed to pay for drugs and he was full of remorse.