A MAZE of subterranean tunnels under a former school in Bradford should stop the building from being demolished, say campaigners.

The tunnels, which have been described as rare and unusual, are said to be underneath the former Hutton Middle School in Eccleshill.

And Andy Chilton, who is leading a fight to stop the Victorian building from being knocked down, said the revelation was another reason to preserve the structure.

Mr Chilton wants developer Gregory Property Group - which has permission from Bradford Council to knock the building down and put 29 houses on the site - to integrate the building into its development.

"There is definitely a maze of tunnels under the school - verified by many ex-pupils and local historians in Eccleshill who have also been down," said Mr Chilton.

"The access is from the east elevation and it is part of the heating/ventilation system but quite extensive and was also used in the war as air raid drill shelter."

Eccleshill resident Michael De Greasley has used computer-generated imagery to show what the tunnels might look like, using a written description given by Craig Jessop, who was assistant caretaker at the school between 1997 and 2000.

Mr De Greasley added: "Even though as a pupil of the school back in the late 1960s, I had often hoped it would one day burn down or simply disappear in the mist, today I see her for what she really is - a shining example of her time.

"Her place is here with the ancestors of the people who built and paid for her."

Historian Ken Kenzie, of Eccleshill, saw the tunnels in about 2000. He said they were about 7ft wide and that people could stand up in them.

On the building, he added "My view is it would make a better community centre.

"It is important. It is in the old centre of Eccleshill - that was the hub of the village."

A Council spokesman said: "When the application was considered by the Regulatory and Appeals Committee, a condition was proposed which requires that a programme of archaeological recording of the building takes place prior to its demolition.

"The programme for the recording of the building will first be agreed with the Council through consultation with both the Council's Conservation Officer and the West Yorkshire Archaeological Advisory Service and the demolition will not take place until this is done to our satisfaction.

"Mr Chilton did contact us last week in relation to the tunnels under the school so we are aware of them and they will be investigated as part of the archaeological recording of the building."

Gregory Property Group did not respond to the Telegraph & Argus' request for a comment yesterday.