Six men were arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a man was shot in the leg on a Bradford street.

Police were called to Thorn Street, Girlington, at 7.30pm on Sunday after shots were fired at a vehicle.

The car involved in the incident was later found empty and abandoned outside Lawcroft House police station a few miles away in Manningham.

Police were alerted after a phone call from hospital that a 30-year-old man had turned up with a gunshot wound to his leg.

The injured man was believed to have been in the Ford car when it was targeted near a church – although detectives are not saying at this stage whether he was a passenger or the driver.

A police spokesman said the car had damage consistent with a firearms discharge. All along one side of Thorn Street, there was evidence of smashed glass.

Detectives have since arrested six men aged 30, 26, 22, 27, 21 and 25 on suspicion of attempted murder. They were all in custody last night.

Detective Chief Inspector Neil Lineham appealed for anyone with information about a motive or the identities of those involved to get in touch.

“Thankfully, incidents of this nature remain a rare occurrence,” he said. “When they do take place, we will act quickly to arrest those responsible.

“Detectives have undertaken a detailed examination of the scene on Thorn Street and are working to ascertain the full circumstances. From our initial investigations, we believe that a number of shots have been fired towards a vehicle at this location.”

Meanwhile, Neighbourhood Policing Team officers have been patrolling the streets in the area to reassure residents.

Neighbours said the first they knew of the drama on Sunday was when police arrived to cordon off the street and start searching the area with torches.

One neighbour, who did not want to be named, said: “My young son told me he heard a noise. When I went to look all I could see was a police van and tape across the road. They were using torches looking at lots of broken glass on the road. There was nothing else to see.

“It’s not good, this shooting. We’ve had others in streets nearby not too long ago.”

Another resident living in nearby flats said some men from her block had gone out to see what happened minutes after hearing bangs but had not found anything in the street – except glass.

In May, a man escaped injury when a shot was fired through the windscreen of his car while parked behind business premises in Girlington Road, Girlington. In August, just streets away, a 32-year-old man was shot four times, in the stomach, leg and arm, in an attempted murder in Whitby Terrace.

“As we have said before, the use or possession of firearms in our city will not be tolerated. Any incident will be fully investigated with the intention of bringing those involved before the courts,” said Det Chief Insp Lineham.

Anyone with information should contact the non-emergency number 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.”