A Bosnian family fear someone will be killed before police stop racist thugs from attacking their home.

Disabled Irfan Zenkovic, 47, and his son Admir, 16, pictured, claim to have suffered 37 racist incidents in the last four years at their home in Bowater Court, Holme Wood.

In the latest incident in the early hours of Christmas Eve bricks were thrown at the house, fence panels kicked in and their Alsatian dog hit with a road sign, washing line and bricks.

They have installed a camera outside their house to record the thugs in action and claim to have had 20 different neighbours in four years because of the problems with crime and vandalism.

Admir said: "A man came and attacked the house, shouting 'We know who you are - get back to Bosnia.' I went out when I heard the dog barking and the man tried to hit me."

Irfan, who has a brain tumour, added: "The man was drunk and was beating the dog with the washing line and a road sign until his leg was bleeding. The man kicked the fence in and threw bricks at the back of the house.

"The police told me not to go into the garden and to keep the dog outside. But I can't not go outside or they will kill the dog. If there is no dog in the garden, they will come into the house instead." He said that at a summer barbecue, bricks were thrown which narrowly missed hitting a three-year-old child.

Admir, studying law, business studies and economics at Bradford College, said he rang the police but when they arrived, the attacker had gone. When the police left, the suspect returned with other men and carried on a tirade of abuse. The police were called four times, but each time they arrived, the gang had left.

"We've no faith in the police, so what's the point in ringing them because they never do anything?" said Admir. "One time, my dad even showed the police where one of them lived and they said they couldn't go into the flat. Something bad will happen before anything is done."

A police spokesman said: "I can confirm we are investigating damage to a door and fencing at a property in Bowater Court in the early hours of December 24.

"We take all such reports seriously. We attended this address a number of times and made searches of the area."

The pair fled war-torn Bosnia nine years ago. They chose England for refuge after hearing how safe it was.

Irfan bought a house in Holme Lane before moving to the Brunel Housing-owned property in Bowater Court. Irfan's wife died four years ago.

Anyone with information on the attack should call the police on (01274) 376459.