ASIAN businessmen have vowed not to be driven out of Cononley despite apparently racially-motivated attacks.

Villagers have spoken of their disgust at the two attacks on a former fish shop which is being turned into a Batli Hut by 24-year-olds Raj Ali and Abdul Motin.

Racist vandals have been blamed for smashing windows and glueing the locks up at the premises.

Last weekend black and grey paint was thrown over the windows and stonework at the Main Street building.

The vandals have even turned their attention to Roland Hall, who runs the nearby New Inn.

He woke on Tuesday to find his red Rover 216 daubed with racists slogans - causing £1,000 worth of damage.

A defiant Mr Ali said: "This will not stop us. It has made us more determined to go ahead.

"We can't understand why this has happened because everyone has been so friendly and helpful.

"We have been planning this for three months so why should this attack happen now?"

Mr Ali, of Keighley, added that many Cononley people had told him how ashamed they were that this had happened in their village.

Pub manager Mr Hall said he couldn't understand why his vehicle had been targeted, but believed someone had been trying to set him up.

"Whoever's done this are mindless idiots. They are trying to associate me with what's happened across the road but that's ridiculous," he said.

The strength of feeling about what has happened in Cononley is so strong that the parish council took the step of releasing a statement to the Herald.

It read: "The parish council deplores the recent mindless vandalism at the Balti Hut and the apparently associated attack on the pub with racial undertones.

"The council knows that this behaviour is totally unacceptable to the residents of the village."

Insp Peter Lambert, of Skipton police, said his officers were determined to stamp out any racial problems.

"This is the type of incident which is very rare in this area and we are taking the matter very seriously," he said.

"We can't condone anything like this because someone's attempting to operate a business and as far as we're concerned this is harassment.

"We will do all we can to make sure that the Queen's peace is maintained in Cononley."

Anyone with any information on this incident can speak in confidence to PC Paul Schofield, or PC Chris Galley on 01756 793377.

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