Parents are spearheading a fight-back against drug dealers in Keighley.

The residents of Lawkholme are playing a leading role in a high-profile anti-Drugs campaign running throughout next week.

Organisers urge every person living in Lawkholme, Showfield, Eastwood and Dalton Lane to attend at least one of the seven events.

There are talks, discussions and workshops aimed at men, women, parents and young people around the area.

Residents will be able to ask questions of specialists, including police, health workers and drug-advice teams.

The aim is to give residents -- particularly parents -- precise and up-to-date information about drugs and the people who take, deal and profit from them.

The Lawkholme Community Drugs Initiative grew out of a ground-breaking meeting in the area last year to discuss problems facing young people.

Dozens of residents met politicians and representatives from local organisations for frank talks about issues such as crime and drugs.

Parents have grown increasingly concerned about the involvement of some local young people in the drugs trade.

The killings of four young men in Keighley last year -- including teenagers from the Lawkholme area -- have been linked to gang conflict.

Work by community groups, particularly Asian fathers in Eastwood trying to improve their neighbourhood, schools, ward councillors, police and Bradford Council led to the Community Drugs Initiative.

Chris Slaven, Keighley's anti-crime co-ordinator, believes the workshops for parents and teenagers will be particularly useful. He says the events are all packed into one week so no parent or youngster can escape the anti-drugs message.

He said: "We decided to blitz the area so people don't have the excuse that they couldn't make one event or another.

"Everyone will be talking about drugs and sharing information."

The funding for the week comes from the Government's Commun-ities Against Drugs fund, administered through the local Drugs and Alcohol Action Team and Keighley Anti-Crime Partnership.

Partnership chairman David Emmott stressed that the week -- although initiated by members of the Asian community -- was aimed equally at white residents.

He said: "People are coming together to find out what is actually going on in the drugs scene in Keighley, the realities of it. We want as many parents as possible to get involved -- those who have heard about drugs, who have thought about it but never done anything."

Cllr Emmott added: "It is a great opportunity for people to become better informed about the awful impact of drugs.

"Local people, schools, the police, council and other agencies working together could -- and should -- make a difference."

Detective Chief Inspector Roger Gasson, from Keighley police, said: "This week could lead the way as best practice for communities working together with police in the fight against drugs.

"Hopefully, we can roll out this style of working throughout the district and engage the community in making Keighley safer to live in."