RESIDENTS living on a Bradford estate hit by youth anti-social behaviour and other crime met on Saturday to voice their concerns and discuss preventative measures.

Approximately 35 residents met at St Christopher's C of E Church in Holme Wood to talk about incidents of crime and anti-social behaviour on the estate and a way forward on how to positively engage with youngsters.

Local resident Michelle Colquhoun, who organised the meeting, said: "We need to find a compromise as we don't want to be confronting people.

"We all live in Holme Wood and we want to feel safe and it's not happening at the moment."

Another local resident said: "We need a bigger police presence on the streets. It seems when Holme Wood gets mentioned it's only stabbings, shootings or rammings."

Tess Peart, a former councillor who represented the ward, said: "I had a car ram into my house, causing up to £18,000 worth of damage.

"Families around here have reputations for generations. The children's parents need education but naming and shaming is not the answer."

Speaking about bricks and rocks being thrown at buses, Mohammed Raja, operations manager at First Bus, said: "The problem we have is late at night. We always report it to police if our windows are broken by stones or bricks."

Neil Twitchett, sergeant for the Bradford South Neighbourhood Policing Team, said police are limited in what they can do when dealing with children causing trouble.

"It can be quite difficult trying to catch some these kids," he said.

Long-time resident Thelma Vinnicombe said: "I've had more than enough reasons to move away, but I chose to live here because there are a lot of good people here."

She said that positive activities which support local youth need to be publicised and that long-term commitments to such projects need to be funded.

Another resident pointed out that activities provided on the estate are for younger children.

"That's the problem," said Mrs Colquhoun. "There is nothing to do on a night for 11 to 17 year olds."

However, Keiran Owen from local charity Emerge said: "We're open and working every night from 4pm to 7.30pm helping 100 kids a week.

"We're out on the streets walking up and down Broadstone Way and doing outdoor and indoor activities with children. These things are happening."

But one resident pointed out that activities need to be available after 8pm as some young people do not come out until then.

"We need to engage with these children in a positive way rather than villifying them," said another resident.

Another woman added: "Saying bad things about them on a Facebook group gets their back up."

When Mrs Colquhoun asked people at the meeting who would be willing to volunteer their time to help out with late night activities for youth, approximately ten people raised their hands.

Mrs Colquhoun said: "We need something in place for all the kids on the estate moving forward.

"I want to create a committee of residents and I'd like to meet once a month."

Sgt Twitchett supported the idea, saying that when officers speak to youngsters "all they ever say is they're bored". 

Another resident said: "Every single member of this community needs to pull together. We have to develop a relationship with the kids that's not negative.

"I'm really encouraged by today," said the Rev Gary Hodgson, minister of St Christopher's C of E Church. "We need to get together and support our young people."

"We need to meet and engage with them," added Mrs Colquhoun.

"Being preventative is the way forward," added Sgt Twitchett.