Appeal for calm after 'racist attack'

Bradford was the centre of race riots during the summer

Community leaders in Bradford have appealed for calm after a gang of Asian youths attacked a vicar and tried to start a fire at his church.

The Reverend Tony Tooby of St Phillip's in Girlington raised the alarm after finding the church doors open and people inside.

Police say they are treating the attack as racially-motivated.

The Bishop of Bradford was meeting Muslim leaders on Tuesday night.

Violence condemned

The Bishop of Bradford, the Right Reverend David Smith, said he was appalled to hear of the attack.

He said: "I was equally dismayed to hear of the racial abuse hurled at the vicar.

"The perpetrators of this violence bring the whole community into disrepute."

The bishop said the violence did little to help bring about lasting racial harmony in the area and would be condemned by Muslims in Bradford as well.

Pelted with stones

A spokesman for West Yorkshire Police said a group of masked Asian males had broken into the church at 1920 GMT and damaged property.

He said Mr Tooby was confronted by the group after he noticed the doors of his church were open and went to investigate.

This was a despicable attack on a local community church at a time when police and fire services were stretched to protect the public on bonfire night

Inspector David Old

The spokesman said: "As he fled the church and left in his vehicle, he was chased by the group of youths who threw a stone through the rear window of the car.

"He escaped uninjured and alerted a passing patrol car.

"He was extremely shaken. The group who had left the area are described as Asian youths.

"Officers are investigating the incident and are treating it as racially-motivated."

Inspector David Old, community safety inspector for Bradford North said: "This was a despicable attack on a local community church at a time when police and fire services were stretched to protect the public on bonfire night."

The Bishop of Bradford said Tuesday's meeting was mainly to make sure that relations between the religious groups in the city were still strong.