Police are investigating a gang of 'cowboys from the blackstuff' who have been posing as council contractors and offering to re-surface householders' drives with 'spare' materials.

And Bradford Council is warning residents not to be taken in by the bogus contractors who have been operating in the Shipley area.

The police were called in to investigate following a string of complaints about shoddy workmanship to the Council's highways maintenance office.

The cowboys have been claiming to be Tarmac contractors working for the Council and using materials left over from their jobs for the local authority.

But when people complain to the council or Tarmac about the standard of the work, they are told it has nothing to do with them.

Complaints have come in from householders in the Moorhead, Nab Wood, Hirstwood and Frizinghall areas. Senior engineer Stuart Harrison said some people had been charged up to £500 for the work.

Councillor Phil Thornton (Lab, Shipley East), chairman of the Council's highways sub-committee, said: "Unfortunately a number of residents have already been taken in by these unscrupulous people.

"They sound very feasible because they've been targeting areas where they know we've been working on the highway.

"They approach householders offering to pave their drives in the evenings or at weekends at a reasonable cost but usually end up charging exorbitant prices while the work they do is not up to scratch.

"If residents are approached by anyone offering them this type of service and they are concerned about it, they should either contact highways maintenance in Keighley on 01535- 618300 or the police.''

Andrew Walsh, 35, of Trenance Drive, Moorhead, said: "They said they were working in the area and offered to do the drive and path for £150. But if they're going round saying they are from Tarmac and charging people several hundred pounds, it's not on."

Eccleshill's crime prevention officer PC Fiona Wynne said: "We would always recommend that people seek quotes from well respected companies before they consider having any work done on their homes.''

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.