A DISABLED dad and his family are living in fear - four months after a police request to move them.

David Fox, his wife and two children claim they are being persecuted by locals in their Browning Avenue home.

"My wife is afraid to go out," said David, 47, who has a learning disability.

"My little boy can't even play in the street. We've had bricks thrown at the door and mud thrown at the windows.

"People come round asking to use your phone and trying to sell you things. If you say no they turn nasty."

A police officer who investigated intelligence records discovered there'd been 10 call outs to the home between December 8 and January 1 alone.

They included incidents of damage to property, violence against the person, obscene literature through the post, malicious welfare call-outs and an incident involving a real or imitation firearm.

The officer, PC Kaine Joyes contacted Halton council in January. He wrote: "I have spent a great deal of time getting to know Mr Fox and his young family.

"Over the past month I have seen him become increasingly frustrated and scared of his environment and he has broken down on a number of occasions.

"Both he and his wife fear they will be attacked again."

The officer added: "It is my belief that a learning disabled father of two young children should not be housed in this area...I feel it would be in his interest of Mr Fox and his family to be relocated as soon as possible...

"I feel both the police and social services would be failing in our duty if we could not relocate this family and prosecute those responsible for their intimidation."

A spokesperson for Halton Borough Council said: "Since receiving the letter we have been trying to resolve the situation.

"Housing officers have met with councillors; residents were given diary sheets to fill and our Neighbour Nuisance Officer wrote to them asking for information.

"However, the limited information we received was insufficient to take things forward.

"We are continuing to pursue the issue and residents should still report incidents to the police. We will take the case to this month's multi-agency community safety group."

A Mencap spokesperson said: "Although Mencap is not directly involved in this case, it is campaigning to make sure all crimes against someone with a learning disability are taken seriously.

"All community services should be

developing programmes to better educate people about the effects of crime on the lives of people with a learning disability."