A vicar told today how police alarms are fitted to some inner city vicarages in Bradford to protect clergymen and their families.

The Rev Stephen Treasure, 51, of All Saint's Church, Little Horton, said his church had suffered many thefts and acts of vandalism, but he was most concerned about the increasing harassment of his family.

He was speaking after the Church of England's deputy leader, the Archbishop of York Dr David Hope, warned of the increasing numbers of attacks on clergy in deprived areas.

Mr Treasure, a father of four said: "What is most concerning is when my wife Heather is in the vicarage by herself and people come demanding money.

"We have an alarm system which is connected directly to the police, which I believe other clergy also have. Our diocese has been incredibly good for clergy in inner-city areas.

"They have put in a lot of money for alarm systems, so if something happens, we can press numbers on the alarm pad, unknown to the person at the door.

The Rev Bob Hill, vicar of St Paul's in Manningham, Bradford, said that his wife and grown-up children have learned to cope with aggressive callers, drug addicts and the homeless.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme Dr Hope warned that the Church of England was suffering from a "distinct lack" of applications for vicars in some areas of the country, which he blamed on a rising tide of violence.

"We are finding it very difficult to fill posts, particularly in the north and in some of the more difficult urban areas," he said.

"And to some extent I understand that, if a person is married with a young family. Who would want deliberately to take their family into these situations?"

The Venerable Guy Wilkinson, Archdeacon of Bradford, said there were vacancies in the diocese, but most were being filled.

He said: "Although there is, as with any professional people, a fairly constant low level of harassment and unpleasantness, we have not had any significant violence against clergy for about two years.

"We do have a huge problem of vandalism and theft but we continue to have young clergy coming in. They are amazing people."

The Rev Tony Tooby was chased from St Philip's Church in Girlington, which had been set alight on Bonfire Night 2001. The gang threw bricks at him and smashed his car windscreen.

Mr Tooby, has two children, Ruth, 15, and Christopher, 11. He said he believed that violence was part of society anywhere, not just deprived areas.

"It is not an easy place to work, and you have to be called, but if so you take the risks," he said. "I never felt I had to leave.

"The reality is that vicars are not always respected, but it is not just a Christian problem, mosques are attacked too.

"I don't worry about my children because they live in the real world and take all the precautions they can.

"There are always vacancies, because there is a shortage of clergy but there is lots of warmth and love in Bradford."