Hundreds of people are expected to back a petition to safeguard the use of an unofficial footpath.

The footpath passes through the private grounds of Manningham Mills Sports Association in Heaton, Bradford, but has been used for more than 50 years as a thoroughfare.

But the sports club wants to block access to the path which runs between Alum Drive and Scotchman Road after suffering vandalism. The cricket scoreboard has been burned down, residents' property damaged and cars destroyed.

But the move has sparked fury among residents.

They have begun a petition to make it a designated footpath and a meeting will take place tomorrow to try to thrash out an agreement.

Elizabeth Hellmich, the manager of Bradford's SAFE project which promotes safety in the community, is leading the campaign.

She said: "Hundreds of parents, pensioners and schoolchildren use the footpath on a daily basis to get to school and into Heaton Village.

"Pensioners use it in particular to get their pension at Lilycroft Road Post Office and many have said that they would need to get a taxi to get there if the fields were blocked off." But Delroy Dacres, chairman of Manningham Mills Sports Association, said an increase in vandalism over the last two years had forced the club to take action.

Councillor Stanley King (Con, Heaton) said: "The footpath has a rich history and hopefully a compromise can be reached, although it certainly won't be easy."

Inspector David Whitehouse, of Bradford North Police, urged anyone with any information about the vandals to contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or West Yorkshire police on 0845 6060606.