Young victims of domestic violence will be helped to overcome their trauma, thanks to a massive cash boost.

The Keighley Domestic Violence Forum is to use the £94,000 it has been given by Bradford Health Authority to set up therapeutic programmes for children who have been exposed to violence in their own homes.

They will involve bringing youngsters, aged six to 12, together in groups to talk about their experiences in a safe environment.

The forum's acting manager, Ian Crosby, said an estimated 2,000 children in the Keighley area were being exposed to domestic violence. The follow-on effects included the youngsters themselves resorting to bullying at school or becoming very withdrawn and developing anxiety with associated regressions into problems such as bed-wetting.

He said: "Domestic violence is a problem that urgently needs addressing and we're pleased the forum's been given the opportunity to be at the forefront of designing resources to meet the needs of these young people."

The grant will also fund support groups for mothers of families experiencing the horrors of domestic violence and training opportunities for people wishing to work in the field.

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