A third of children believe West Yorkshire police officers "are always picking on young people", according to a survey out today.

The results into what young people think of the force also show that 60 per cent believe that officers are always suspicious of them.

They said providing more places to go was the best way to combat anti-social behaviour. But, overall, two-thirds of those surveyed thought the police "do a good job".

More than 17,000 youngsters aged ten to 18 took part in the online survey.

The results, unveiled at Odsal Stadium today, show that only 43.5 per cent of them believed people were treated fairly by the courts and 28.2 per cent thought police stopped more young black people than white. Nearly a quarter, 23.2 per cent, thought the police were racist.

In the Bradford district the view of the police varied from half of youngsters (51 per cent) saying they did a good job in the BD1 (city centre) postcode area rising to 82 per cent in BD 16 (Shipley).

The survey also revealed that being sexually assaulted (53 per cent) and being mugged (31 per cent) left them petrified.

Fear of racist insults (32.9 per cent), being offered drugs (32 per cent) and perverts on the internet (29.4 per cent) left them least worried.

The poll, the first of its type by West Yorkshire police, was carried out to find out what children think of the police, their attitudes to offences and their fears and how they could be made to feel safer.

They were also asked if they thought police officers did a good job. Two-thirds said they did with 61 per cent saying the police made the communities safer.

Females had a better view of the police with 72 per cent agreeing they did a good job compared to 60.5 per cent of males. Among the Pakistani community 42.5 per cent agreed with the statement compared to 20 per cent amongst the white and black African youngsters.

On specific offences, 82 per cent said they would report a mugging and 79 per cent domestic violence. Only 23 per cent would report playing truant, 37 per cent sniffing glue and 37 per cent smoking cannabis.