Staff facing violence and aggression are to be protected under a new action plan from Bradford Council.

Some workers are to be given mobile telephones and are being taught special techniques to free themselves if they are attacked.

The plan comes as it was revealed the number of incidents where council workers were attacked went up by 50 per cent last year.

In 1996 there were 1,000 incidents, mostly involving aggressive behaviour and threats. Last year the figure soared to 1,500 - including 300 teachers and 1,100 social workers.

No figures are available yet for 1998 but these are expected to show an increase.

Today Liz Devlin, branch secretary of the public services union Unison said she believed many cases went unreported.

"I am glad that this framework is being adopted and that it involves aggression for the first time and not solely physical assaults."

Staff have suffered serious injuries in the past. Incidents in the last two years include:

An iron bar attack by two men on an attendant in Kirkgate Market. The victim suffered a broken collar bone and nose but no one was caught.

A social worker was stabbed in the leg during an interview.

A terrified librarian locked herself in the building because she was so frightened of hooligans after a threat on her life.

A teacher was terrified when a gang banged hammers against her classroom windows.

Ms Devlin said she believed figures might be increasing because of Council job cuts. "I think it believes staff are having to say 'no' to people more often when they are working in the different services."

Incidents among social workers and teachers have led to steps already to instruct staff in techniques to release themselves if someone grabs them or tries to grapple with them.

The Lord Mayor's attendants now wear blue suits for some occasions because their regular outfits may make them look too much like uniformed officers.

The central framework policy on violence and aggression, to be put to the Council's personnel and development sub-committee tomorrow, calls for a visible security presence, use of mobile phones in remote or high-risk situations, and alarms and safe exits in interview rooms.

Graham Reay, principal officer in health and safety, said the problem was in line with national trends. Some of the recommended solutions were already operating successfully.

Miriam Murch, of Bradford National Union of Teachers who welcomed the plan, said teachers were in the firing line at a small, "specific" number of schools, usually from pupils with problems.

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