Extra police patrols are being drafted in to a Bradford housing estate following a series of attacks on taxis.

Drivers with one private hire company are considering boycotting Ravenscliffe after vehicles were bombarded with missiles, including bricks and eggs.

Ilyas Hussain, owner of Power Carz, in Harrogate Road, Eccleshill, said one driver quit because he was worried about the attacks.

Mr Hussain said groups of youngsters congregated near a park in Ravenscliffe Avenue and in Thackeray Road and threw missiles at the taxis as they drove, or when parked.

He said: “I welcome the police taking action. Nobody has been injured, but there is clearly potential for people to be hurt. Cars have been damaged and the fear is that drivers will say they have had enough and not go to the estate.”

The Eccleshill Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT) has announced enhanced visible and undercover patrols in parts of Ravenscliffe to deter youths throwing stones.

NPT officers have started monitoring the play area in Bowness Avenue and will be carrying out reassurance work in communities as part of West Yorkshire Police's Darker Nights campaign.

Inspector Pete Tuff, of the Eccleshill NPT, said: “We keep regular contact with our taxi drivers and they have informed us they are becoming concerned about anti-social behaviour, such as stones being thrown towards marked cabs from groups of youths.

“We will be stepping up patrols at sensitive times in hotspot areas and working to identify the culprits. Those who throw stones in this manner risk causing serious damage to cars and potentially also serious injuries to drivers.”

Anyone with information about people throwing missiles at taxis, or involved in anti-social behaviour, should contact Eccleshill NPT on (01274) 376168.