University students beaten with a cricket bat on their Bradford doorstep claimed police told them to move out to avoid further attacks.

The victims, aged 21 and 22, said they were shocked by the attitude of the "disinterested" attitude of police when the attack was reported.

The pair - too frightened to be named - claimed officers advised them not to pursue the matter and asked if they had thought about moving out.

Now their local councillor has called for a full investigation into the incident.

The victims live two minutes' walk from the University of Bradford's campus but claim they are surrounded by hostility. A series of threatening incidents culminated in the midnight assault when they returned home from a night out.

Two youths ran up the street off Great Horton Road complaining about noisy students and attacked them.

One was hit around the head with a cricket bat which broke across his back after further blows. The youths only ran off when the students managed to grab the weapon to defend themselves.

But they were more shocked, they claimed today, by the attitude of the "disinterested" police officers who came to deal with the crime.

"They asked if we had considered moving house," said the 21-year-old. "They said they could go to the youths' house and speak to them if we wanted them to but we would have to think about the possible repercussions."

The students said they felt they were being advised not take the matter any further. The next day they visited a police station to discuss the incident.

"They laughed at us when we suggested more police should patrol the area," the student added. "We were told that there much worse areas of Bradford."

Councillor Imran Khan (University, Labour) has contacted Chief Superintendent Phil Read at Toller Lane police station about the allegations made against his officers.

But a West Yorkshire Police spokesman said that officers had visited the students again to discuss their allegations. We are concerned that (the 21-year-old student) seems dissatisfied with his treatment and his concerns are being addressed by staff," she said. "The assault that he refers to was attended by officers on the evening in question, however neither of the victims wished to pursue a formal complaint.

"The officers were far from 'disinterested' as evidenced by his own comments that he was advised to ring 999 should there be any further incidents."

She said that the campus was one of the safest in the country but that it was difficult to assess the level of incidents unless students reported them.

The University of Bradford's student union women's officer Claire Rose echoed the plea to report crime, but said she did not think the area was particularly hostile.

But Coun Khan said he thought lawlessness was on the increase having seen people throwing fireworks at cars.

University registrar and secretary Nick Andrew said: "Incidents are extremely rare and we take stringent measures to ensure students are fully aware of the risks inherent in any major city."