A Keighley firm is being forced to fork out for security cameras in a bid to beat vandals who have been targeting it for 12 months.

Graham Penny, managing director of Teconnex, Chesham Street, said he had spent thousands of pounds over the last year on repairs and security measures to try and stop the vandalism.

"Every Monday morning we come in and something's happened," he said. "We have had 53 windows broken at a cost of something like £5,000. We have had a half-inch hole drilled in a water system outside the factory and 75,000 gallons of water leaked away which we had to pay £2,000 for. We have a car park at the back of the building and we have had all the panels removed from there and fencing too."

The firm, which employs 137 people at its factory, makes industrial clamps for companies like Ford and components for the new Euro-fighter.

Mr Penny estimates his company has spent around £10,000 in the last year and still the problem continues.

"Things have got progressively worse. Whatever we do, they just move round the corner. If we put up fencing around the car park they just move round the side of the building.

"We think it's younger children throwing stones or using catapults. Some use air rifles because we find air rifle pellets inside sometimes."

Mr Penny said the efforts of the police have been unsuccessful so far.

Despite having already spent so much Mr Penny plans to spend a further £8,000 on a new CCTV system.

"We have got to provide the police with evidence in the form of CCTV footage to show what is being done and by whom."

Chris Slaven, co-ordinator of Keighley's single regeneration budget-funded Crime Prevention Community Fund, said moves are also under way to establish a business watch in the area to try and combat the problems.

"A date has been set for a preliminary meeting. We would kick start the idea, much like we would a neighbourhood watch scheme, and they would take it on from there," said Mr Slaven.

Keighley police's crime prevention officer, PC Adrian Foyston, added: "We're hoping to get a business watch scheme up and running and Teconnex are very keen to come on board.

"We're going to hold a meeting next month and we want as many of the businesses in the Dalton Lane area to come along."