A NIGERIAN man is pleading with vandals to leave him and his family alone.

In the few days Neil and Kerry Asipa and their six children have lived on a council estate in Middlesbrough, yobs in their early to mid-teens have launched three attacks on the family's car.

The windscreen has been broken and the bonnet damaged. The family were rehoused on the Thorntree estate in Christmas week to escape racial harassment at nearby Hemlington.

Mr Asipa said: "I am not going to discount a racial motive. It was totally unprovoked. It is very different if you have an altercation with someone. This came completely out of the blue."

He disturbed youngsters who walked through his gate to carry out their last attack on the car, which Mr Asipa had parked in his rear yard, shielded by a tall fence.

Mr Asipa said: "It makes me really sad. We have six children of our own and it breaks my heart that little children should do something like this."

His car is off the road because of the attacks and needs repairs estimated to cost hundreds of pounds.

Mr Asipa, 40, said: "It has been traumatic, but it is life and we just carry on as normal as possible. My main concern is for the youngsters to improve.

"It is a very difficult situation. My kids are going to school and if we have to think of moving to yet another area, it is not as easy as that.

"All we are asking for is a chance to make a decent life for our children."