A police chief today said claims that Hindu families were being forced out of Bradford by Muslims were "absurd".

West Yorkshire Assistant Chief Constable Greg Wilkinson said there was no evidence to support claims on BBC Radio that Hindus were subject to "ethnic cleansing" and being forced to flee the city.

"It's absurd, it's radio hype, they didn't produce any evidence of that at all. Until we get the census data we can't tell," he said.

"They might be moving to the more suburban areas as a lot of people do when they see their wealth improving."

The allegations were made in the radio report by Hasmukh Shah, who is spokesman for the Bradford Hindu community.

But today several Hindu community leaders contacted by the Telegraph & Argus said they had no knowledge of Mr Shah's claims that Hindus were being forced to flee their homes.

One member of the Hindu Cultural Society, who did not want to be named, said he was also unaware that there was an exodus of Hindu families.

Councillor John Godward, whose Great Horton ward covers Lidget Green, said: "I've got Hindus and Muslims living in the Lidget Green area, and so far they've lived very happily together.

"There's no place for that kind of intolerance in this country, let alone Bradford."

Muslim business leader Fazal Hussain, who is chairman of the Racial Business Forum, said: "I speak regularly and have meetings with Hindus, with Sikhs and with Muslims and there is no truth in this story that Muslims are forcing Hindus out of the city," he said.