Residents say Wharfedale is the best place to live

The survey revealed that everyone questioned in the Otley and Wharfedale Ward- the third prosperous in Leeds - thought that the area was either a fairly good or very good place to live. The ward includes the towns and villages of Otley, Pool-in-Wharfedale, Bram-hope, Arthington and parts of Yeadon and Rawdon.

However, almost 80 per cent of people questioned were worried about car related crime and burglary.

And the same amount of people had either seen an assault, someone stealing from a car, dealing in or using drugs, or stealing from a car.

But Councillor Clive Fox (Con, Otley and Wharfedale) said although the survey revealed there was general concern about crime, it was important to keep things in perspective.

He pointed out that although a third of people had said they felt unsafe about walking alone after dark, only one per cent had said they had ever been mugged or physically assaulted.

And he added that overall crime levels were about half as in the rest of the city.

He said: "Those living here seem much more aware and conscious of the level of crime than elsewhere and partly I suspect because we have local newspapers which keep us better informed than elsewhere in Leeds. But the fact remains that overall, crime levels are running at about half the rest of the city, burglary is less than half and drugs related crime is only about a fifth of average for Leeds as a whole."

The survey, which was carried out for Leeds City Council's Community Safety Unit, also revealed that 75 per cent of people surveyed in the ward did not report crime to the police.

They were either not directly involved, that they believed the crime too trivial, or because they felt the police would not do anything.

Coun Fox said: "I think this is a rather sad reflection of today's society.

"Unless the police are made aware of incidents, it makes it very hard for them to fight crime."

The survey revealed that two thirds of the victims of crime were affected by the incident. Some were left in fear, nearly half suffered shock and 80 per cent said they were angered by the experience.

And apart from the threat of crime, other major concerns for people in the area included the amount of rubbish and litter in the streets, vandalism and graffit.

The Leeds Community Safety Unit is concerned with anti-social behaviour across the whole of Leeds. In August last year it was awarded £869,0000 to extend closed circuit television cameras (CCTV) into district areas including Horsforth and Headingley to reduce the fear of crime.