Youngsters in care made a direct plea to protesters opposing a new children's home.

The teenagers helped make a video film to show that youngsters in Bradford children's homes are "normal", not troublemakers.

The five-minute film was shown at a public meeting in East Morton near Keighley last night, the up-market village selected by Bradford Council as a venue for one of five new children's homes.

In the video, Becky, a 14-year-old resident of one of the city's children's homes, was shown proudly showing off her bedroom, and describing her average day - commuting to school in Keighley, doing homework and seeing friends.

She said: "People think children are put into care because they're bad, but I don't think it's true.

"Most children are here because of family problems."

Nicola Chayter also described how happy she had been in a children's home.

"I was coming home from school to people who were like parents, rather than coming home and having to act like a parent to my family," she said.

"My parents had never gone to school parents' evenings. Here, I got taken out for a meal for passing my GCSEs."

More than 100 residents packed into the village institute for the heated public meeting, with many people opposed to the idea of a new children's home in Carr Bank.

The home would house eight children, aged ten to 16, and live-in staff.

A petition against the proposal with 600 signatures was handed to Council chiefs, and campaigners will meet a barrister later this week to discuss seeking a judicial review of the decision. Concern was expressed that the children's home would bring prostitution to the village, with kerb crawlers targeting vulnerable youngsters.

But a vocal minority at the meeting spoke in favour of the children's home and heckled those criticising the plan.

Shouts of 'snobbery' were heard when one woman asked if house prices would be adversely affected.

Sharon Callanen, of Swine Lane, said: "I heard people shouting 'rubbish' during the video. You are all missing the point. You have chosen this area to live in and bring up your own children, but you don't want others to come here."

Alison O'Sullivan, director of social services, said she remained of the opinion that East Morton represented a good site for a home, but the Council was still listening to views.

To go ahead, the new home would need planning permission and an application will be submitted in the next week. There will then be a 21-day period in which written objections can be submitted. A decision is likely to be made by the Keighley Planning Panel in late October.