A terrified elderly couple from Bierley have accused the police of leaving them at the mercy of violent gangs of vandals.

Albert Bolton and his partner Norma Gabbitas waited in vain for help as a group of youths pelted their house with bricks one night last week.

Mr Bolton, 60, followed up a worried neighbour's call to the police at 8pm, but it was nearly two hours later before officers arrived.

In the meantime he had gone out to confront the gang himself, only to have to dodge missiles which flew by him and smashed some treasured household ornaments.

An outraged Mr Bolton said: "We keep getting fobbed off but it isn't on. It's getting worse every time and the police are saying they can't do anything.

"They were bombarding us with bricks and we just kept waiting and waiting, but nobody came.

"Norma is going to have a nervous breakdown if this carries on."

For the couple, of Coleshill Way, Bierley, this was the second attack in five weeks. During the previous incident on April 10, a hostile gang vandalised Mr Bolton's car as he looked on from his window in disbelief.

He rang the police immediately but when officers did eventually arrive some five hours later, Mr Bolton says they told him he'd better not be wasting their time.

West Yorkshire Police dispute this but accept the timings given for both occasions.

They say they are aware of three incidents of vandalism at the address since March, and are still investigating the two most recent ones.

A spokesman said: "Officers have to prioritise their calls - from 1998 to 1999 we had to deal with 361,322 calls in total.

"But we are consistently reviewing our performance. We have spoken to Mr Bolton about his concerns and unfortunately in this instance we have not attended as speedily as either he or we would have wished."

Mr Bolton responded: "I would like to see them come when we need them, not two or three hours later with some excuses."

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