Businesses in Tong Street, Bradford, claim that repeated break-ins and lack of security have left them feeling they are in 'No Man's Land.'

Several businesses, which lease their premises from Bradford Council, have broken into or suffered attempted break-ins over the past few months.

The are Topper's hairdressers, the Call Inn Cafe, Southville Mini-market and Credit Union. Topper's suffered its latest attack last Thursday when it had shutters pulled off, windows smashed, and items stolen.

Proprietor of Topper's hairdressers, David Metcalfe, 40, said he and his staff had had enough.

"It has got to the stage where we feel we can't go on," he said.

"I've been here for 17 years and nothing this bad has happened before. It's getting beyond a joke."

Mr Metcalfe said other areas of Bradford had been included in the regeneration and had improved security - but he claimed Tong Street was being left to rot.

"Holme Wood and Bierley have been massively improved but we are in No Man's Land and we want action," he said.

Jennifer Mladenovic, runs the Call In Cafe on Tong Street, which had narrowly escaped a break-in. "We are going down the drain," she said. "We have had three break-in attempts all in the space of a month and it's the same for the other businesses. We are at crisis point."

Rajendra Shah, who has run Southville Mini-market for 21 years, said the situation had to improve.

"Our livelihoods are at stake," he said.

"It is just too much and we are getting sick of it. I have been broken into five times in recent weeks and even with police-linked burglar alarms we find that we get here before the police."

Now the businesses are demanding action and an emergency meeting has been called for tomorrow with councillors and police to see what can be done to improve the situation.

"We are not calling for the moon - we just want fair treatment," said Mr Metcalfe.

Bradford Council's housing director Geraldine Howley said: "If leaseholders would like to contact me directly we will investigate their concerns and will work with them to explore possible solutions to the problems."

A police spokesman said: "We would urge anyone with information to call Crimestoppers on 0800 555111."