A man has told how he was clubbed over the head with a baseball bat as he walked home near a notorious Keighley Park.

Yesterday, as police investigated the latest incident in the Lund Park area, a councillor stepped up her campaign for tougher police action.

Justin Gallagher, 31, an unemployed draughstman, told the Keighley News how he was on his way home from a shop in Malsis Road, around 5pm last Thursday, when he sensed a group of youths was following him.

He said: "I was on Victoria Road and turned the corner to Holycroft Road when I felt a crack on the head.

"At the time I was just about knocked out."

Mr Gallagher claimed he fell to the floor and the gang set about kicking, punching and throwing things at him.

He said there were as many as ten Asian youths in the gang, aged from 12 to 20 years old.

"It was the younger ones who were kicking and hitting me when I was on the floor."

Mr Gallagher who suffered bruises and cuts to his head, back and legs was treated at Airedale Hospital.

Cllr Lynne Joyce (Labour Keighley South), who is campaigning for more safety measures in the area, says: "This is an on-going problem. The only way forward is to set up a meeting with the police and youth service."

Cllr Joyce has called a meeting with Keighley divisional police commander Chief Super-intendent Derek Bonnard, MP Ann Cryer and local youth and community organisations on May 7.

Mrs Cryer earlier this year vowed to fight Lund Park becoming a "no-go" area.

Police are not directly linking this latest incident to earlier attacks. Inspector Angela Williams, of Keighley police, says: "We had an assault reported which we are investigating. There have been various attacks in the area and we are not sure this one follows the general pattern. If we need to put extra patrols in the area we will do so."

Nine people have been attacked in the Lund Park area since December 1999.

l The first was Jenny Harper, 26, and seven weeks pregnant when a masked man came to her Harper Street door and repeatedly bashed her with a blunt instrument on December 11, 1999.

l Elaine Marsh, a 33-year-old mother of four, was hit several times on the head as she walked through Lund Park on December 16 1999.

l A 29-year-old woman sales assistant was grabbed by the hair and her head bashed on the pavement in Kensington Street, on January 4, 2000.

l Five Asian youths beat up 11-year-old Brendan Whitaker when he walked through the park on January 12, 2001.

l A 17-year-old was beaten by three youths in Oakworth Road, on January 13, 2001.

l The same day a 16-year-old girl and 17-year-old boy walking through Lund Park were assaulted by a gang.

l A 33-year-old man was beaten by an Asian gang in the park on March 4, 2001.

The masked attacker is still at large in connection with the first three attacks. The later gang attacks are not being linked.