Vandalism in Thornton, Bradford, is so bad that the main streets look like a prison camp, says a shopkeeper.

Helen Evans, pictured, who owns Thornton Pet Shop and also works in Thornton Flower Shop for her son, Richard Hodgson, said that the number of incidents in the area has led to her locking her shutters at night for the first time in the 20 years she has had the shop.

Mrs Evans' comments come after paving flags were stolen from outside the florists and Pitts' Bakers on Thornton Road.

"We haven't had problems like this before," said Mrs Evans, "It looks awful and is very muddy. What's more, we don't know if we may be responsible for part of the replacement cost."

Mrs Evans also had a window smashed in the pet shop on Market Street just before Christmas. She claimed there have been a number of other incidents of windows being put through and stone going missing in the area.

"It is sad that we have to close the shutters so people can't look in the windows any more," Mrs Evans added. "It is no wonder that there are only a couple of shops left on Market Street."