Four families face being kicked off a troubled Bradford estate after a crackdown on anti-social behaviour.

And young tearaways in the Holme Wood area have been ordered to behave or they and their families will be kicked out too.

The four families are to be served with notices of Bradford Council's intention to evict amid claims their children are causing distress to their neighbours.

Some of the families involved claimed evictions would see them out on the street with children as young as five.

And they claimed they would be happy to see their youngsters put under curfew if they could stay at home.

But the Council said the move followed a major swoop with police earlier this month - Operation Ameliorate - to target alleged anti-social behaviour in the Holme Wood area.

Once the notices have been served, the courts will have the final decision on whether to evict them on the evidence.

Denise Clough, a mother of four children aged five to 19, who will receive her notice on Monday, said she was prepared to see her youngsters put under curfew after admitting they were involved in throwing eggs and mud bombs and kicking down fences.

"Its just the sort of things that all children do, but if the people complaining don't come to my door to tell me what they have done how can I do anything about it?" she said.

The 37-year-old, of Broadstone Way, said throwing her out on the street would be heartless.

"Are they going to throw me out on the street with a sick five-year-old?" she asked.

Her neighbour, Jackie O'Reilly, also of Broadstone Way, is also likely to be evicted.

But the single mother-of-three said she had even dialled 999 to report one of her sons because he had taken someone's car.

"One of my other children admitted throwing eggs at someone's window but I made him go out and clean it all off," she said.

Ms O'Reilly, 35, said she was at her wits' end over the proposed eviction.

"I have been working with the Council over this, but they are going to throw me out and I have nowhere to go at all," she said.

"I would be willing to keep my two youngest in after 7pm and the eldest one would be in by 10pm to stay away from the streets."

Ms O'Reilly's mum, 59-year-old Kate O'Reilly, is also being warned over possible eviction.

If the families are evicted the Council will have no responsibility to re-house them as they will be considered "intentionally homeless."

A Council housing spokesman said: "Notices of intention to evict are due to be served on four families on Monday and more are expected to follow.

"In addition, five Anti-Social Behaviour Order warning letters have been served on young people who are causing harassment, alarm and distress in the area.

"It is anticipated more young people will be served with warning letters."

Bradford South MP, Gerry Sutcliffe, whose constituency includes Holme Wood, said it was necessary to impose the orders to make life better for the community - and give everyone a peaceful life.

"It's a great sadness that it's come to this, but the rest of the community deserve to live in a safer, quieter environment and this is the point of these being introduced," he said.

"I'm pleased they are being imposed and more will follow to act as a deterrent to others."

And Detective Inspector John Armitage, of Bradford South Police, said they supported the Council's policy to evict "troublesome tenants who cause misery on local estates."

"We will continue to work with the Council to make local communities as pleasant a place to live as possible,"he said