Police are arming themselves with video cameras in the latest crackdown on anti-social behaviour.

Complaints about fireworks being posted through the door of a family home, damage to vehicles and missiles being thrown at traffic have led to officers taking action.

Teams of officers from the Evidence Gathering Unit of West Yorkshire Police will hit the streets over the next few weeks gathering footage of children in the Bradford North area.

The clampdown follows an increase in complaints about criminal damage and anti-social behaviour.

Footage obtained by the officers will be stored on a police database and used to help identify perpetrators and bring them to book.

Inspector Kash Singh, of the Bradford North neighbourhood policing unit, said: "Teams of officers armed with video cameras will be filming children hanging around in the area, in particular those in groups.

"This will enable us to collect a gallery of the youngsters in the area and help us to solve crimes.

"It will help us with identifying those responsible for the offences that we are witnessing at the moment because we will be able to match witness descriptions with any footage we have collated."

He said the officers would also provide a visible deterrent to would-be criminals.

The teams will target crime hot-spots hit hardest by anti-social behaviour, including Girlington, Allerton, Lidget Green, Great Horton and Ravenscliffe.

"We have seen a rise in anti-social behaviour and criminal damage, particularly in these areas," said Insp Singh.

"Incidents include children putting fireworks through a family's door, damaging vehicles, throwing missiles at road traffic and general anti-social behaviour."

He said the community had had enough and expected the police to take action.

"People are tired of living with these types of crime and want us to act," said Insp Singh.

"We are also looking to the community to assist us by making sure they know where their children are and what they are doing. Everyone has a part to play in this."

Insp Singh said the operation also had to be run in association with other agencies to ensure youngsters could find appropriate ways of using their time.

"The problem here is that there is not enough for children to do and we have to put that right," he said.

"If we don't create interests for them and places for them to go safely then we will continue to experience this type of behaviour.

"These children are our future and we should be doing everything possible now to help them grow into law-abiding and respectful citizens," he said.

Bradford West MP Marsha Singh said: "There is a major problem with anti-social behaviour and anything that effectively tackles it should be welcomed."

He said those who had done nothing wrong had nothing to fear from the initiative.

"However, safeguards must be put in place to make sure the facilities are not misused and I would want to look at that closely," he said.