A group of Bristol residents fed up with being burgled have clubbed together to buy high steel gates to block off alleys leading to their homes.

Residents of four streets in Knowle, where there have been dozens of break-ins, have put up spiked security gates in a scheme costing �5,000.

Several houses have been burgled three or four times and one elderly woman has suffered eight break-ins and had all her jewellery stolen.

The scheme to keep out the thieves has the support of local police who have made a cash contribution.

'Very bad'

Vandals and drug users have also been causing problems in the alleys behind Bayham Road, Maesknoll Road, Tennis Road and Rookery Road.

The gates have been organised by residents John Stone and John Grindle who have been patrolling the area at night with torches to help protect the neighbourhood.

Mr Grindle told the BBC: "It has been very bad indeed. I've been broken into four times.

"About 80% of the people around here have been broken into at some time or other, in some cases six or seven times

'Closing' ceremony

"We have the full backing of the police for what we are doing."

Mr Stone said: "Ninety nine per cent of the residents have welcomed this scheme with open arms and said:'Why ever didn't we think of this and do this before?'"

Mrs Christine Savage, whose home has been burgled and vandalised several times, said: "We don't regard the gates as an eyesore, we regard them as a great advantage.

"We hope they will keep the toe-rags out."

Sixty households who have helped pay for the gates have all been invited to a "closing" ceremony next week when the gates will all be in place and padlocked.

The Lord Lieutenant of Bristol Jay Tidmarsh will be among those attending.