Bradford rockers New Model Army have been left counting the cost after their studio was gutted by a fire at a nearby converted mill over Christmas.

The cult band, one of the most famous from the city, was told of the fire in Thornton Road, Bradford, on Christmas Eve, and had to spend the festive period waiting to be allowed in to see the damage on Boxing Day.

Crews were sent to the converted mill, in the building next to the mill which houses the band’s studio, at about 4pm on Saturday and roads remained closed at the site throughout the weekend.

The band has said plans for a new album, as well as a re-release of its iconic 1984 debut album Vengeance, have been put on hold while the full extent of the destruction is assessed.

The band’s singer and songwriter Justin Sullivan said equipment the band had collected over its 31-year history had been destroyed in the fire, including a mixing desk, computers and a range of “irreplaceable” guitars and drum kits.

He said: “The electronics and the desk, all that sort of stuff, in the end it’s just money and assuming our insurance company pay up, we will be all right on that.

“Most of our work is backed up, but the stuff we have been working on recently, demos for the new album, is gone.

“And we had also recently uncovered a series of early four-track cassette tapes from very early New Model Army.

“We were going to re-package the first album with all of this pre-Vengeance material, and all of the cassettes have melted, so we suppose all of that has gone.”