Yobs on the rampage

In a number of incidents over a period of several days at Haworth Primary School, the greenhouse was damaged, bulbs stolen, plants destroyed and the pond stoned.

The incident was among a number reported to the Keighley News this week by angry readers -- leading to this special page one report.

Gardener Steve Thorpe, who set up the gardening club, was devastated by the assault.

He said: "When you put so much effort in, it is so frustrating. They haven't got much out of it but it is all irreplaceable damage. It is not money but it is the hard work that is damaged.

"We are trying to teach the kids here the difference between right and wrong."

The first incident happened nearly two weeks ago, when a window of the greenhouse was prised open. About 30 packets of bulbs was stolen.

Last Sunday afternoon several plant pots were damaged. Mr Thorpe repaired some of the damaged pots and put back the plants but when he returned later that night, the vandals had returned to continue their spree.

Other damage included an upturned bench, three planters thrown from a ledge, compost strewn across the school drive and bricks flung into a pond, in which frogs had laid their spawn only a day before.

And on Monday afternoon, a pair of teenagers were seen cutting daffodils in the school grounds. Mr Thorpe added: "They have gone on the rampage really."

He hoped the culprits had been trying to sell the bulbs, which included irises, gladioli and lilies and somebody knew who they were.

He added: "It is important that we catch them to set an example that we don't accept thugs like this. The important thing about the club is that we teach kids what is right.

"If we catch them, it is setting the example to the kids that it is unacceptable behaviour."

The gardening club has won a number of awards in its short existence, including a trophy in the annual Yorkshire-in-Bloom awards in 2003.

Anybody with any information about the vandalism should contact Keighley police on 01535 617059.

Youths pelt cars with plants

Police are stepping up their efforts to find youths who are causing trouble for Cullingworth residents.

In a series of incidents, youngsters have been ripping up turf around the village war memorial, throwing it at cars and abusing residents.

Bingley's neighbourhood police team spent a morning in the village working with residents to compile evidence on those causing the trouble.

The village was also a key point in the team's rural action day last week, which involved extra patrols to provide a high visibility police presence.

A number of other organisations, such as the Keighley anti-crime partnership were involved in the day. The initiatives come after a dozen irate residents called parish councillors over youngsters pelting cars and buses with soil, turf and plants ripped up from the village's war memorial.

One woman who went to remonstrate with the youths received abuse, while a driver had a windscreen broken.

A coach driver had to take his vehicle back to base and have it washed down because it became so muddy.

Sgt Esther Hobbs, from the neighbourhood police team, said: "Cullingworth has a reputation as a very nice, historic village, with low crime figures. However, there have been problems with anti-social behaviour recently, particularly around the war memorial and where the buses turn around. But there is quite a lot being done to stop it.If anyone has any information about these youths, please contact us on 01274 537441."

Cullingworth parish councillor Liz Balding said: "This small minority is causing trouble and making life difficult for the villagers.

"To desecrate the war memorial is particularly unacceptable behaviour."

Spy cameras to be broought back

Teenagers, kicked in the door of a car, released the handbrake and left it to roll down a hill -- ending up in the middle of a roundabout on a busy estate.

Other cars in the Keith Thompson Centre car park, at Braithwaite, Keighley, had windscreens smashed and body work dented in the incident on Monday night.

Now the Braithwaite People's Association (BPA) is resurrecting a "spy in the window" campaign in a bid to halt a spate of anti-social behaviour in the area.

The CAVE (Community Action Video Equipment) project was originally launched in 2001 when residents endured a rash of vandalism and arson.

Video cameras were distributed among residents to put in windows, hide in empty houses and operate from parked or moving cars to record the antics of the troublemakers by day and night.

BPA member John Philip, pictured, who is also a Keighley councillor for Laycock and Braithwaite, was involved in the scheme.

"It was very successful but when the problems died down the project became a big drain on resources so we stopped it," he said. "But now, four years later, a new breed of troublemaker on the estate is causing a nuisance and the project is being re-introduced."

Cllr Philip said: "We've now got a couple of groups of teenagers rampaging around damaging cars and getting up to no good and we're fed up with it." Cllr Philip said the community centre, which is run by the BPA, had now fitted CCTV in a bid to catch the culprits.

He stressed that the cameras would only be turned on to catch people committing crimes or anti-social behaviour.

The video evidence will then be passed to Keighley police and Bradford Council's ASBO team in a bid to bring about prosecutions.

Cllr Philip said the association was also looking into the possibility of getting a dispersal order on the estate, which would enable police to break up groups of youths on sight.

No significant rise in vandalism - police

Despite this week's rash of anti-social behaviour around Keighley, police say there has been no significant rise in vandalism.

However, they are urging anyone with information about nuisance behaviour to come forward and contact them. A police spokesman said: "There has been no significant increase in such behaviour but we do know anti-social behaviour can be distressing. We rely very much on information coming to us from the public and we ask anyone with information to contact us."

The spokesman added that neighbourhood policing teams (NPT) across Keighley were engaged in a number of activities to stop vandalism, including anti-social behaviour orders and increasing patrols in hot spot areas.

Police have also increased the number of staff working in the NPTs in Keighley, with the number of staff at Bingley NPT more than tripling in size in the last year.

Sgt Esther Hobbs, pictured, of the Bingley NPT, which covers Denholme and Cullingworth, said: "I think the problem of anti-social behaviour is very much at the heart of what we do and in many ways is the number one priority.

"In terms of quality of life and what people hold dear, youths vandalising areas and causing disturbances affects a great number of the community. We're very focused on tackling the problem."