Angry residents are demanding three gaping holes near their Bradford homes are filled in before someone gets injured.

They say the hazards, which straddle the pavement and part of the road in Baxandall Street, West Bowling, are accidents waiting to happen and they claim the work by Transco has been going on for several weeks.

John Midgley, 25, said his three-year-old daughter Megan fell down one of the holes last week. "She wasn't hurt, but it could have been a lot worse," he said.

Mr Midgley, who lives in Baxandall Street, added: "We keep complaining to Transco but nothing is being done."

Although certain sections of the on-going excavation work are guarded by plastic barriers, the holes themselves have been left uncovered and open to the elements.

Sajwul Kahn , who lives on the corner of Baxandall Street and Boynton Street, says rainwater is collecting in the holes and seeping underneath his house - causing damage to the cellar.

The residents' protests have been taken up by Iqbal Kahn, prospective Conservative councillor for the Little Horton ward, and Gordon Johnson, prospective Conservative candidate for the Bowling ward.

Mr Kahn said: "It is dangerous. Transco keeps saying it will send someone within a week, but no-one turns up."

There has already been one serious accident at the site. Last Thursday two-year-old Katie Kenyon, of Boynton Street, was almost killed when she was hit by a stolen car. Residents claim the car was trying to avoid a bollard which had been moved from one of the holes and put in the street.

Police are still trying to trace the driver of the Nissan Sunny, which was later found in Tichbourne Road. Katie suffered head, shoulder and hip injuries and is recovering at Bradford Royal Infirmary.

A spokesman for Transco said the company was concerned about vandalism and had carried out daily safety checks to ensure barriers were in place. He explained: "A gas leak was reported to us on January 11. Since then we have carried out preliminary investigations. The holes are not covered because we have to be able to detect a gas leak."

He said the problem had now been identified and work on repairing the fractured gas main was due to start later this week.

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