Residents on a Bradford estate are living in fear of thugs who they say deliberately aim burning cars at their homes.

Homes in Merrivale Road, Allerton, are being targeted by yobs who steal cars, set them on fire and then launch them off an embankment.

Mum-of-three Hayley Dunn told of her family's lucky escape when a burning car was pushed down the Millennium Green embankment and exploded yards away from her back door on Monday night.

"If it hadn't been for my neighbour's fence the car would have smashed right into my kitchen where the gas pipes are and we'd all have been blown sky high," she said.

"The yobs who are doing this know exactly what they are doing. They know there are houses at the bottom of the bank and they are trying to hit us on

purpose.

"They are using the cars as missiles and us as targets. They don't care what happens, they are brain dead."

Residents say there have been five other near misses in the past 18 months where youths have launched cars off the top of Millennium Green.

"It's just a matter of time before someone gets killed. Parents are moving their children into the front bedrooms because they daren't leave them in the back at night," said Mrs Dunn.

"I don't go to bed until the early hours because I feel I've got to stay awake and keep watch for any trouble," said the 37-year-old.

Her 13-year-old son Luke spotted the latest blazing car hurtling down the embankment when he looked out of an upstairs window.

He woke his younger sister and brother and got them and their mum out of the house before rousing the next door neighbours.

Now Mrs Dunn and her neighbour Audrey Silson are starting up a petition to call for safety fencing.

Mrs Silson, who has two children, said: "This estate is like Beirut, trouble is going on all the time.

"We've got to stop these joyriders. Their parents have got to take more responsibility, they must know what their children are up to when they come in smelling of smoke and petrol fumes."

Sub-officer Richard Lightowler, of Fairweather Green fire station, who was at Monday's car blaze, said he was worried there could be a tragedy on the estate soon.

"It's usually been on the Saffron Drive area of the estate where cars are torched," he said.

"We don't want it spreading across the estate to Merrivale Road, we don't want it happening at all. Unless it's stopped someone will get hurt,"

Councillor Clive Richardson (Con, Thornton), who is a member of the Allerton Ridgeway Millennium Trust responsible for the Millennium Green, urged residents to report the culprits to police.

He said: "The trust wants to discuss the problem with residents to see what can be done to make them feel safer.

"We also need residents to come forward with any information they have on these joyriding idiots and report them to the police."

Police have appealed for anyone with information to either contact them on (01274) 376259 or ring Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.