Concerned parents in Bradford claim teenagers are ruining a neighbourhood playground for an estate's youngsters.

Residents say that the children's play area in Winchester Gardens, Tyersal is being over-run and vandalised by teenagers who, they claim, have already pulled down a metal fence and damaged a smaller fence inside the facility.

Sara Lewin, of Winchester Gardens, said: "We get a rowdy gang of about 10 teenagers going past our house. I have taken my four-year-old son up to the playground a couple of times but I don't like taking him when they are there. There is graffiti on the swings already and its only been up for about a month."

The 33-year-old mum-of-two added: "No-one dare say anything because they give you a load of verbal back. Part of the reason we moved here was because of the play area."

Emma Smith, 24, who also lives in Winchester Gardens, said: "Bottles have been smashed and there's glass everywhere. There's graffiti and one of the swings looks like it has already broken.

"I thought it was fantastic when the playground started being built but now I don't want to take my son there because he might hurt himself."

Neighbour Ann Millichan, 48, said older youths had been drinking alcohol in the play area at night and Patricia Teasdale, who lives in Glastonbury Court next to Winchester Gardens, said the ground was littered with plastic bottles.

Residents also said youths had been wrecking gardens and jumping from a wall on to the bonnets of cars.

The play area was built by Orion Homes, which built nearby houses. Construction director Andrew Lumb said the firm was now waiting for Bradford Council to adopt the area

He added: "Although the play area is surrounded by security fencing local youths have gained access. Orion Homes shares the concerns of residents with this anti-social behaviour."

A West Yorkshire Police spokesman said: "We are aware of problems of anti-social behaviour in the area and our Neighbourhood Policing Unit is looking into the matter. We ask residents to pass on any information to us with a view to identifying the culprits."

A Bradford Council spokesman added: "The Anti Social Behaviour Order Team have brought it up at a tasking meeting of the Anti Crime Partnership. As a result of that it is being dealt with by the police."