A FAMILY today demanded police protection, after claiming they had endured years of racial harassment and attacks on their property.

The latest flashpoint came for Burnley shopkeeper Amir Zaman, 55, when he and a friend were attacked by bottle-wielding youths, who had earlier kicked in the door of his Lyndhurst Road house.

Mr Zaman, who owns the Red Rose general store, across from the family home, says the attacks were the latest in a long line of incidents stretching back 10 years. Apart from physical attacks, the extended family of eight say they have been forced to endure almost daily bouts of verbal abuse and graffiti attacks on their properties.

But today, police said they would set up an action plan to get to the root of the problem.

The family say their youngsters are afraid to go outdoors because they fear further abuse. But they claim police have done little to help them in the fight against racist louts.

Mr Zaman's son Qamar, 29, said: "I must have called the police scores of times over many years and they never even turn up. They eventually came after the latest attack, but only after neighbours also called the emergency number after seeing the assaults.

"It is a nightmare - has someone to be put in hospital before anything is done?"

Burnley councillor Mozaquir Ali, has taken up the case for the family and says he is appalled by the behaviour the family has been forced to endure.

"I will be taking up their case with the police. "They are a family under siege, they are gripped by terror. Even now, the council has only just decided to start talking about setting up a new racial equality body - we don't want talk, we want on-the-streets action."

Today, Inspector Michael White, of Burnley police, said one youth had been arrested following the latest attack, but released without charge because of a lack of evidence.

He added that police responded to all complaints and that inquiries were ongoing.

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