A FAMILY last night refused to be driven out of their North-East home by racists who are waging a campaign of terror against them.

Gordon Dalgleish Haines and his wife, Julie, 42, who is of mixed race, have been subjected to months of abuse by members of Right Wing extremist group, the National Front (NF).

The pair, from Chilton, County Durham have had abuse hurled at them in the street, been attacked by a gang, had paint thrown at their house and bricks thrown through their car window.

On one occasion, swastikas and the NF sign were painted on their car and home.

The couple, who came to England eight years ago from Zimbabwe, spoke out following the jailing of former National Front member Kevin Cooke yesterday.

The 23-year-old, of Hunter Terrace, Chilton was sentenced to 15 months imprisonment at Teesside Crown Court for racially aggravated criminal damage to the couple's property.

Mr Dalgleish Haines said he and his wife, who live with his mother-in-law Kathy, 67, will not be driven from their homes .

He said: "These incidents are still carrying on. They have put us through torment but I am not going to be frightened off by these morons.

"They shout abuse at us. They are all part of the same group, a minority of morons."

The 57-year-old full-time student said he had called the police on more than ten occasions and had security cameras installed at his home.

Teesside Crown Court was told how Cooke had joined the National Front aged 18 but left the group in 2001 because he found some of their views offensive.

Despite this he continued to have a racist attitude and still knew several National Front members.

Robin Turton, prosecuting, said the defendant was caught on security cameras in the early hours of August 27 painting swastika signs and the National Front emblem on the family's van and house.

"The family have not been able to sleep for months as a consequence of the incident," he said.

Michael Bosomworth, defending, said his client had acknowledged his racist attitude.

"This happened in an area where the National Front has something of a hold and those that share their views," he said.

"The defendant accepts his racist attitude and also shows to a degree to challenge them.

Judge Justice Royce said: "We live in a civilised society but what you did on that night must be regarded with utter repugnance."

Another Chilton man was sentenced to 12 months in a young offenders' institution at an earlier hearing for his part in the incident.