A gang of racist young thugs has been ordered to stop terrorising their neighbourhood or face court action.

Seven boys, aged between ten and 17, have been sent letters warning them they will be served with Anti-Social Behaviour Orders (ASBO) unless they clean up their act.

The move by the police and Bradford Council's Tenancy Enforcement Team comes after a catalogue of complaints from residents - including a number of asylum seekers - in the Bolton Woods area of Shipley, about everything from racial abuse to vandalism, graffiti and noise.

Breaching ASBOs - introduced to help councils curb disruptive behaviour and which can impose curfews or orders for troublemakers to stay out of certain areas - is a criminal offence which can result in yobs being hauled before the courts and fined or jailed.

PC Steve Middleton, a member of Keighley's Problem Orientated Policing (POP) team, who has responsibility for the Bolton Woods area, said complainants did not want to be identified for fear of reprisals.

He said the number of complaints ran into dozens and related mainly to behaviour near the flats off Livingstone Road and in the Bolton Hall Road area - from where the Telegraph & Argus revealed earlier this year a family of asylum seekers from India asked to be re-housed following a series of attacks on their home.

PC Middleton said: "A small number of young people have been making life an absolute misery for a lot of people up there, some of whom have been too frightened to come out of their homes for fear of what might happen. Asylum seekers have been complaining about racist comments and being spat at and there have also been complaints about broken windows, graffiti and noise.

"If these people don't comply, ABSOs will be served on them and we'd ask anyone in that area who witnesses any sort of anti-social or criminal behaviour to report it to me on (01274) 537441.''

PC Middleton said similar letters served to eight youngsters in the Gaisby Lane area of Shipley earlier this year had proved effective. "There are still isolated problems, but things up there are a lot quieter and we're hoping to have the same success at Bolton Woods," he said.

Councillor Tony Miller (Lab, Shipley East), manager of Bolton Woods Community Centre, said he had received numerous complaints from asylum seekers, elderly folk and other residents about harassment, vandalism and unurly behaviour.

A Council spokesman said the letters were handed out and the young people warned in front of their parents during a series of home visits. He said if that failed a decision would be taken on whether to bring the youngsters to court to apply for an ASBO.