Angry villagers in Burley-in-Wharfe-dale are taking a building firm to task for repeatedly damaging their pavements.

Residents in Aireville Terrace say they have had enough of living in a 'war zone' while Wilcon Homes continues its two-year housing development.

A total of 40 householders have signed a petition calling on the company to make safe the pavements which, they claim, have been heavily damaged by delivery lorries.

That petition has now been handed in by district councillor for the Rombalds ward, Chris Greaves, to Bradford Council.

Burley Community Council member David Howe, of Wrexham Road, uses the damaged path to walk to town every day.

He explained why he felt compelled to start the protest ball rolling.

"These pavements are in a real, disgusting mess," he said, "all cracked up, uneven and full of pot-holes from the weight of the lorries, and Wilcon's response has been to just throw a bit of sand and gravel on top.

"But the lorries keep going up and over them again, and if they don't get their act together somebody is going to fall and hurt themselves, and it's going to cost someone a lot of money in compensation.

"After several months of this disruption I thought 'enough is enough' and just dropped a letter of protest off with someone in the street - which I think everyone has now signed!"

Permission for the company's Trinity Mews development, which consists of a range of new houses along with the conversion of the village's former C of E School into flats, was granted last summer.

But since the building work began those living nearby have not been impressed.

Paul Watson, 41, a former caretaker at the old school, has lived on the street for 13 years and helped collect signatures for the petition.

He said: "I think this is being handled ridiculously and it's been going on for months. The sand they've put down to try and cover the cracks is no solution, in fact it's actually causing people to slip about.

"The pavement can't be safe for people in wheelchairs or prams, and I'd like to see it re-surfaced properly."

Neighbour Mary Hill, who has seen a lot of changes during the half century she has stayed in Aireville Terrace, agreed.

"The state of the pavement is disgusting," she said, "and I don't feel safe walking on it.

"They keep re-laying bits then just going over them again with these big, ugly lorries. We just want to be able to walk down our street normally, that's not too much to ask, is it?"

The Council's planning department had already sent a letter to the firm outlining its concerns about the damage, and now a second has been sent by Highways.

Highways manager for the Shipley area, Kevin Whitaker, said: "It is the footpath opposite the site which is causing the concern, and I have brought it to their attention because it was their delivery wagons that did the damage.

"Most of it happened when a temporary entrance was in place and space was very tight, so every vehicle that came in had to run over the footpath.

"We've told them it's not acceptable and, since the near side footpath has already been closed off, the other side has to be repaired so at least pedestrians have one path to use.

"They haven't treated the residents here very well and I hope they will respond positively."

Wilcon's regional chairman, John Coker, told the Gazette that he accepted responsibility ultimately lay with his company - and promised steps would be taken to remedy the situation.

He said: "We looked into this problem when it was drawn to our attention earlier this week.

"We have found that utility companies not directly within our control, but nevertheless carrying out works in connection with the development, may have been the cause of some pavement damage.

"Irrespective of the cause, we will co-operate with the highways authority to ensure that repairs are carried out promptly. In the meantime, we apologise to anyone inconvenienced, in particular local residents."