Residents in a crime-plagued area are celebrating the return of the "feel- good factor" to their neighbourhood.

And so impressed have they been, the police team responsible for driving down crime were nominated for a special civic reception.

Windhill's three ward councillors nominated the estate's neighbourhood policing team for a VIP reception with the Lord Mayor of Bradford at City Hall.

The team, which included Inspector Owen West of the Shipley and Bingley Neighbourhood Policing Team, police constables and community support patrol officers, were the special guests of Lord Mayor Councillor Valerie Binney.

Since November police have been targeting the area's top five anti-social behaviour culprits in a bid to cut nuisance. Six months on, police say anti-social behaviour on the streets is already 14 per cent down.

And officers have pledged to keep up the initiatives to disrupt the lives of trouble-makers.

Crag Road and nearby Rochester Street are just two streets where residents feel they are starting to reclaim their neighbourhood from louts.

One resident in Rochester Street, who did not want to be named, said the crackdown had driven some nuisance-makers out of the area leaving them in peace.

He said: "It's a lot better now. Before, we had problems with lots of noise, people chucking litter out of windows from the flats, blatantly buying and selling drugs.

"Now we see police two or three times a day walking up and down. It's making a difference. We can see the police are trying to tackle the problems and we're grateful for it."

Ward Councillor Phil Thornton (Lab) said: "The feel-good factor is definitely developing whereas before there was a feeling of neglect. The old feeling is finally being reversed and we are starting to see positive effects."

Inspector West said it was "still early days" in Windhill.

He said: "We concentrated on the top five people responsible for anti-social behaviour in the Crag Road area and disrupted them on a daily basis.

"We made it part of our job each day to find them and find out what they were up to whether it was at their home, other people's or in Shipley Town Centre."

e-mail: kathie.griffiths@bradford.newsquest.co.uk

'MAKING THEIR PRESENCE FELT'
  • Crag Road chip shop owner Stephen Briggs, 53: "There's not so many smackheads to be seen. They used to be in here all the time asking for change for the phone box so they could call up the dealer and get their next fix. They used to wait outside for the cars to come and deliver. We're not seeing that any more. I'd say the police are making their presence felt."
  • Mum-of-three Donna Brewer, 32, who lives near Crag Road: "I have noticed a lot of police around since Christmas. It's made a difference to all the teenage gangs that used to hang around. Seeing more police about is keeping them on their toes. They're not all trouble-makers but it maybe makes them think twice about causing any trouble."
  • Robert Kilar, 45, of Windhill: "People are feeling safer because they are seeing police officers on the beat. It's good to know they are there if you need them."
  • Elaine Whitfield, 65, of Crag Road: "In my opinion it's got better. I'm not noticing as many gangs hanging round especially at the park, where I've seen them blow up a bin with lighters before."