Community groups meeting at a Cottingley church are barricading themselves into the building after being intimidated by youths.

Organisations which use the hall at St Michael and All Angels Church are locking the doors during meetings because they feel threatened by youths who congregate in the car park and shout abuse to visitors.

The Reverend Sue Pinnington, vicar at St Michaels and All Angels, said the church had even been stoned during a service.

The problems were highlighted at a special meeting in the church set up by the Keighley Problem Orientated Policing team.

Representatives of about 15 agencies, including the church, schools and traders, met PC Ian Hemsworth, the area officer for Cottingley, in a bid to work proactively to combat problems. At the meeting it was heard that many residents were afraid to leave their homes at night and the line dancing group which used to meet in the hall had cancelled its dances as members were being verbally abused. Miss Pinnington said £3,000 has been spent on glass to replace windows broken by vandals in the last 12 months.

"Twice a week the Cottingley Youth Project runs out of this building. We provide the most youth services and child services and yet we suffer the most from vandalism and break ins," she said. "We have had the church stoned while services were taking place. The residents are frightened. Two of them have left in the last few months because of fear. People are moving houses not because they have been attacked but because they are frightened."

Robin Wraith, church warden, said: "We have to lock the door when people should be able to feel they should come and go as they want. You have got young people trying to have a good time who are having to lock themselves within the building as they are scared to come out."

Helen Denning, of Cottingley Pre-school group which meets in the hall during the day, said staff had been intimidated by teenagers who gathered outside drinking.

PC Hemsworth said anti-social behaviour could be tackled by writing to parents of the perpetrators and he urged residents to report any incidents to him so they could be logged.

He said he will also ask Bradford Council to improve street lighting in the area and request police horses are exercised in Cottingley to increase a police presence.

A meeting has been arranged for May 17 when councillors have been invited to attend.