Terrified people on a Bradford estate have accused police of 'running scared' of vandals after suffering a series of attacks.

Albert Bolton, who lives with his sister, Norma, in Coleshill Way, Bierley, claims he and his neighbours have been left at the mercy of violent thugs.

Mr Bolton awoke last Friday to find his front doors and walls, along with those of five other houses in the street, spray-painted with the word 'GRASS'.

The incident was the latest in an escalating series of criminal acts carried out in Coleshill Way during the last month.

Cars have been set alight in drives and stolen and house windows smashed. Not even a man whose wife is dying of cancer was spared in the graffiti attack.

Many residents say the police are not doing anything to stop the attacks and Mr Bolton, 60, has now sent a letter of complaint to West Yorkshire Chief Constable Graham Moore.

In his letter he says: "We are all living in fear of petrol being put through our letter box. After someone is burned to death do you think that then something will be done?"

Today a West Yorkshire police spokesman said: "We can confirm that we have received a copy of Mr Bolton's letter and will be looking into his concerns. Police are aware of acts of graffiti and vandalism in the area. We do not condone such behaviour and do take these complaints seriously."

In the latest incident a woman was woken by her dog barking at about 2am and went downstairs to see the silhouette of a man through the glass of her front door adding the final 'S' to 'GRASS'.

Another neighbour whose home was also attacked called the police at 7.30am that day, but it was nearly four hours later before officers arrived.

One worried resident, who, like many, was too scared to give their name, said: "When the police do come out they say 'we hope you're not wasting police time'.

"This has been going on for months, there's been cars broken into, houses attacked, windows put through.

One woman, who suffered a heart attack earlier this year, said: "My blood pressure is sky high again because of this. And there's been more bother - one of our cars was set alight in the drive just two weeks ago."