A businessman is in fear for his staff's safety after stones the size of cricket balls have been sent hurtling through windows at the Keighley firm.

Leon Rymer, who owns Rymer Engineering, at Heber Street Works, said he was almost hit on the head when a stone was thrown through a top window.

This was the third incident in which Mr Rymer said stones had been launched at the firm and he is convinced it is young children who are causing the trouble.

Overall 17 windows have been shattered.

Mr Rymer, 62, said: "It's cost us a lot, what with replacing the windows and our time in doing it all. When it happened before there was just glass all over in here. It was such a mess. We have never had any problems like this before last year but we have been burgled once."

He added: "The derelict land opposite encourages kids, if it was tidied up this wouldn't be happening. It's the untidiness of the land that is doing it."

The land near the firm, where Hattersley Mill once stood, has been derelict since 1984, when Mr Rymer started his business.

The trouble first started last summer, when 14 windows were broken in the upstairs part of the building. Then in December two more windows were broken.

The most recent incident happened at around 4pm, on June 5, when one window was broken. Mr Rymer said he was standing with a customer when a top window was shattered.

Some of the windows had since been laminated to stop the glass from shattering, he added.

A police spokesman confirmed that they had received a call on June 5 to report that youths were hanging around in the churchyard, in Heber Street, and throwing stones at the building.

Officers established from the owner that it was a recurring issue and informed the neighbourhood policing team to be aware of the problem.

Inquiries were on-going.