A PAINSTAKING restoration of the former Odeon building's distinctive domes is well under way, with campaigners saying they have been "blown away" with the quality of the work.

Only a few months ago, the domes had been badly leaking water while the wood and steel holding them up was rotting away.

But the unsound timber and steelwork has now all been stripped away and replaced, and roofers are installing a shiny new copper coating which could well outlast the 85-year lifespan of the previous covering.

Campaigners from the Bradford Odeon Rescue Group, who had voiced concerns that the new copper could look out of place, have now said their fears proved to be unfounded.

Secretary Mark Nicholson said he had not been keen on the look of the restored dome on top of Eastbrook Hall in Little Germany, Bradford, calling it a "plastic horror".

He said the group had been worried re-covering the Odeon's domes would also leave them looking too plastic-like, and would not suit the age of the 1930s building.

But yesterday he said they had been "absolutely blown away by the workmanship".

Mr Nicholson said construction skills had been of such a high standard in the 19th and early 20th centuries, that today's contractors had a hard act to follow.

He said: "They were built with such craftsmanship. The workmen today just can't afford to build like that any more, that sort of finesse has gone, but we are absolutely delighted with how the domes are coming on.

"Also it heartens us, because it is an indication of how serious the Council are towards maintaining the appearance of the building.

"It is one step closer to the outcome we have been campaigning all these years for. It would be a terrible shame if all this work was going into repairing the domes, only for somebody to say there's no future for this building and to pull it down."

The work is being carried out by contractors Lowery Roofing, on behalf of building owners Bradford Council. It has been paid for as part of a £1.32 million repairs grant from the Homes and Communities Agency.

Council leader Councillor David Green said: "I'm really looking forward to that scaffolding coming down so that we can see the full glory of it.

"I hope that when that happens, people will be able to see the building back in something like its former glory."

The building is set to be handed over to Bradford Live, which has plans to turn it into a live venue fit for the 21st-century.

Director Lee Craven said Bradford Live was still busy applying for funding for the project, but he added that the was growing "more confident" that the scheme would go ahead.

The restoration of the domes is the last part of the Bradford Council project to clear the building out and make it safe and as watertight as possible before the handover.

The work had been scheduled to finish in April, but the discovery of the damage to the domes' steelwork and timber had caused a delay, and the new copper is now expected to be complete by the end of this month.

But project manager Andy Grant said there were still one or two places in the building where rainwater was still getting in, and he hoped to secure some money to patch these up.

He said: "We, as owners of the building, are at least trying to maintain it in reasonable condition."

Cllr Green said: "I will be discussing the matter with officers and clearly we don't want to 'spoil the ship for a hap'orth of tar', but it clearly depends on the extent of the work and the financial implications."