A church minister says the streets around his church look like a "war zone" and urgent action is needed to stop the rot.

Tim Mills has been the minister at Pollard Park Evangelical Church, on Heap Lane, Barkerend, for the past seven-and-a-half years and he says that the area has deteriorated in recent months.

"In the last couple of months it has got really bad," he said. "The whole street is like a bomb site."

He said teenage yobs were destroying already crumbling walls and breaking windows.

"The lane is heaven for kids who do drugs, destroy walls, break glass and torment adults.

"Everything they need is there - no street lights, derelict houses and flats, crumbling walls and loose bricks, a builder's gravel heap, unarmed adults, babies and old people," he said.

The Rev Mills is hoping that because the area is in the middle of the city's Regen area that there are plans to improve it before it gets any worse.

He said: "It's just turning into a war zone. One week, 11 windows were smashed - it's just gone crazy."

And for some visitors to the church just stepping out of the car and walking to the church building is an experience.

"Even walking from their cars into the church, parishioners see drugs and fireworks on the street. It's become a frightening experience coming out of the car and stepping into the church," he added.

The church building has also been damaged by vandals and a number of the windows may have to be bricked up be- cause of the expense of having to replace them regularly.

A Bradford Council spokesman said: "We have a range of proposals to carry out repair work and improve the Heap Lane area of Barkerend.

"This will include renovating the outer shells of the properties on the east side of Heap Lane, at Nuttall Road and Hillside Terrace. This work should be carried out subject to funding being available in late 2006/2007."