A Bristol organisation that helps victims of race hate dealt with 52 cases in Southmead in a year – an average of one a week.

The figure was more than in any other area of Bristol, residents were told.

Batook Pandya, director of SARI (Support Against Racist Incidents), told a meeting on the estate last night he was glad the BBC's Panorama programme focusing on the area had been made as it put race back on the agenda.

He said: "Never have I said that the whole of Southmead is racist – a small number of people are racists.

"We are getting a lot of incidents there. There is an issue and we can't bury our heads in the sand."

Mr Pandya, who was among 50 people at the Partners and Community Together meeting, revealed the number of complaints about racial harassment for other areas.

Between April 1, 2008, and March 31, 2009, SARI handled 24 cases from Hartcliffe, 10 in Henbury, 19 in Fishponds, 30 in Easton, one each in Cotham, Coombe Dingle and Shirehampton, six each in Old Market and Sea Mills, 13 in Speedwell and four in Clifton.

Many people felt the BBC programme painted an unfair picture of Southmead and ignored all the good things that were happening.

But Lydia Suleaudu, 43, a business enterprise student at the University of the West of England, said it "enlightened the whole world to what ethnic minorities are suffering."

Ms Suleaudu, who lives in Ringwood Crescent, Southmead, said she had suffered years of racial harassment ranging from name calling and intimidation to windows being smashed and the police had done nothing about it.

A mother-of-five, who is also black but asked not to be named, stood up and said: "I have been living in Southmead since 1969 and I have never had anything to complain about."

It emerged that a small number of children and teenagers were responsible for most of the complaints about anti-social behaviour.

A white resident of Southmead Road, who did not wish to be named, said: "Me and my family were victims of anti-social behaviour.

"The police did put a stop to it but the depressing thing is the length of time it takes to get anything done.

"It took three to six months to see action. The process has to be shortened."

Inspector Mark Runacres, who has responsibility for the Southmead area, said hate crime was taken seriously and in the 12 months to October the neighbourhood team had dealt with 30 reported cases.

He said there were two arrests the morning after the Panorama programme, showing incidents where two undercover Asian reporters were harassed and attacked, was screened.

"Early the next morning two individuals were arrested and subsequently released on police bail. We then reviewed any evidence against other people in the programme."

A group called Planet Southmead has been launched for people of all races and a diary of social events is to be published to encourage people to get to know each other.