"Leave us alone" is the plea from a Braithwaite nursery following a wave of vandal attacks.

An outdoor playhouse was wrecked in the latest assault at Keighley Community Nursery.

The £2,500 "chalet" was regularly used by toddlers in the playground.

The wooden building was tipped over in last week's incident, smashing its support beams.

In previous attacks plants and trees have been pulled up while a sandpit, soft play area and gates have also been damaged.

Bottles, cans and cigarette ends frequently litter the playground when staff arrive.

One morning a sleeping bag was found by the playhouse.

The vandals force their way through the high metal security fence around the site. Several heavy fence posts have been ripped off allowing easy access.

The nursery is next to the Rainbow Children's Centre on the site of the former Guard House First School.

Dorothy Akrigg, a room leader at the nursery, said most of the nursery's children lived in surrounding Braithwaite and Guard House.

She said: "They've been getting in for a while but now they've started wrecking things.

"We don't have the money to keep replacing things. A lot of stuff we get is through fundraising and parents' donations.

"Why do they do it? We're a community nursery, leave us alone."

Nursery nurse Debra Turner said staff now had to bring plant pots in every night to keep them safe.

She said: "The children love to grow their own vegetables so they can go in their dinners."

Keighley police said there had been two reports of vandalism by the nursery in the past six months.

An officer visited the nursery to talk to staff soon after the attack last week.

Sgt Steve Greenbank, from Keighley neighbourhood policing team, said specific officers covered Braithwaite.

He said: "We are aware they have had various issues. We are working with them and are increasing patrols."