AN OFFICIAL street naming ceremony honouring a Bradford paratrooper who died a hero in Afghanistan looks set to miss the anniversary of his death next month because of building work being behind schedule.

Elaine Bell, the mother of Private Martin Bell, said she had hoped the ceremony for Martin Bell Walk on a new housing estate being built off Leeds Road, Shipley, would have gone ahead on January 25 - the fourth anniversary of his death in the Helmand Province.

Mrs Bell said she understood it might now have to be put off for a couple of months.

"It would have been nice for it to have gone ahead on January 25 because of the importance of the date but it can't be helped if building work is behind," she said.

Pte Bell was the 350th British military fatality in Afghanistan. He died going to the aid of a fallen comrade and was posthumously awarded the George Medal for his selfless act.

Mrs Bell, of Idle, is now leading a national campaign to get a street named after every soldier who died in the conflict so legacies are left to members of the Armed Services who had paid the ultimate price for their country.

She first wrote to Bradford Council leader David Green and the leader of the authority's Conservative group, Councillor Glen Miller, about the suggestion and hopes other councils will follow suit so eventually all who perished in the conflict are honoured,

The idea of Martin Bell Walk was first mooted by Cllr Miller, who has praised the courage of Pte Bell, a former police community support officer in the Worth Valley before he joined the Parachute Regiment.

Mrs Bell said she was encouraged the street naming idea had reached national level and also had the backing of the families of other Bradford soldiers killed in Afghanistan.

"I'm just delighted that the campaign has taken off so well," she said.

"I've heard from one mother in the Derby area who had been battling for sometime to get her council to name a street after her son and finally after lots of obstacles and now lots of pressure from the campaign they have agreed to it - that means a lot!

"We've also got support from the Bradford families."

One of those supporting it is Wendy Rayner, whose husband was also killed in Afghanistan, she successfully fought for a new memorial wall in Bradford city centre to honour soldiers who had lost their lives since 1947.

Sapper Jordan Rossi, who died in May 2009, is to have a street named after him at a new business park at Buck Lane, Baildon.

The mother of Private Christopher Kershaw, 19, who was killed in March 2012, Monica Kershaw, said she would also be proud to see her hero son's name on a street sign.

And Cllr Miller added: "I'm fully supportive of Mrs Bell's courageous and continued action with this campaign not just locally but nationally too."

No-one at Keepmoat, which is building the homes off Leeds Road, Shipley, was available to comment about the new date for the naming ceremony.