Just what sort of people burgle, threaten and try to firebomb new arrivals in their area?

Are they so small minded, so prejudiced, so lacking in intelligence that they regard a family from two miles away as being outsiders?

Is it some extreme rite of passage they think people moving to Southmead have to endure?

Or is it simply that they are thugs, out of control with no respect for other people's homes, possessions or safety?

Whatever the reasons, the actions towards Paul Derrick, Sabrina Evans and their children are downright criminal.

Their decision to leave their council house after less than a month is, in the circumstances, understandable.

The attacks were escalating by the day and they quite rightly feared for their family's safety.

And if, as it appears, there was a genuine attempt to set light to their house they were right to feel their lives were in danger.

The trouble is that if the people responsible for these attacks will do it to them they would probably do it to other people as well.

And unless they are caught and stopped we could soon be reporting on a tragedy in Southmead.

Imagine if Mr Derrick and Miss Wills had been in the house and the petrol bomb attack had triggered a major blaze.

What chance would they and their children have had of getting out alive?

Those behind these incidents clearly think they are above the law.

They are probably too stupid to weigh-up the risks they are causing.

Whoever they are they need to be identified, arrested and prosecuted before someone is killed.