Around 60 cars seized in a crackdown on crime have been crushed by the DVLA.

Many of the vehicles taken during a four day purge by police in Holme Wood are believed to have been used in criminal activities.

A team of 40 police officers flooded the area in a bid to snuff out crime blighting the lives of residents.

All of the confiscated cars were either untaxed or unroadworthy and officers believe many of them were being used by joyriders or borrowed illegally.

Sergeant Ian Dellow, a community safety officer with Bradford South police, said: "These vehicles are being used by the criminal fraternity and this is another way for us to chip away at them.

"We have been working with the licensing agency and 60 vehicles have been removed from the area."

The cars seized by the DVLA were taken into storage and then their owners given a chance to pay off any fines relating to the vehicles plus storage costs.

Bernard Dunwoodie, Anti-Crime Partnership Development Officer for Bradford South, said none of the owners had elected to reclaim their vehicles.

He said 113 people, including 19 for burglary, were arrested in the four day police campaign which is part of a £600,000 scheme to help reduce crime in Holme Wood.

Police will repeat the operation later in the year.

"It had some encouraging results," said Mr Dunwoodie. "We made some good arrests many of repeat offenders.

"We are starting to make a visible impact on the area which should hopefully affect everybody's quality of life."

Organisers of the one-year-long Holme Wood Forward Initiative are attempting to pull youngsters away from the lure of crime and drug abuse.

Five youth workers have begun working on the estate and police and education officers have made patrols for truants.

In a bid to cut rising drug abuse, awareness training has been laid on by schools, youth and community groups as well as those from the voluntary and charity sectors.

The Speed team are also aiming to visit 600 homes in Holme Wood in an attempt to make them burglar proof.

Mr Dunwoodie said: ''There is more to be done but I am sure we will have more success."

Councillor John Ruding (Lab, Tong) said: "This scheme is good news for Holme Wood. It is just to be hoped that the good work with the police will carry on for the rest of the year."