Traders in Manningham have joined forces to improve the image of Oak Lane and bring back business to the area after the devastating riots last summer.

More than £30,000 has been awarded to the area to provide a portable CCTV camera and stage a clean-up operation in a pilot scheme to crack down on crime in the area.

Funding is made up of £12,500 from the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund, £10,000 from the Home Office Small Retailers' Fund, and they are seeking £9,000 from the Manningham and Girlington SRB.

Shocked businessmen say they are still reeling from the after-effects of the disturbances but they have been battling to attract customers back to the area.

They set up the Oak Lane Shopkeepers' Partnership and held emergency meetings in conjunction with Bradford West Anti-Crime Partnership straight after the riots on July 7.

Naweed Hussain, 20, who has won awards for his post-riot voluntary work in the community and is chairman of the group, said: "I don't have a business on Oak Lane but I live here and I saw what effect the riots had. I think Oak Lane is a wonderful area and hopefully these anti-crime measures will show others out there that it is great too.

"The portable CCTV cameras are a very good idea and will promote a feeling of safety for traders, residents and customers.

"There is a massive range of shops here, from clothes to fresh exotic fruits and vegetables, chemists and jewellers as well as fast food. Everything is here, it just need promoting."

Trader Qummar Zaman, 29, who has run the Mangla Price Check store for four years, said it was vital that something was done to address the issues.

"Even before the riots business was going downhill but since that day it has been very difficult for all of us. Particularly the number of white customers has gone down.

"It is not the case that we have not done anything about it. We have held many meetings to look at the issues. Hopefully with the CCTV cameras and cleaner streets, people will realise that this is a good area to shop."