BRADFORD Council has reversed a decision to light up a war memorial in Queensbury after admitting the feature was "not in keeping" with the monument.

The authority spent £2,500 to install the lighting earlier this month, but it was labelled "cheap and tacky" by a resident who said he had tended to the memorial for the past three years.

The project was led by former Independent Councillor Lynda Cromie, who said she now plans to contact Council officers to ask them to explain the u-turn.

The octagonal memorial, built in 1922, contains 116 names of soldiers who died in the First World War, and a further 51 who perished in the Second World War.

Former Army veteran Bob Gatenby, 60, said he visits the site at least twice a week to clear away rubbish and dismantle old wreaths.

He said he had been against the idea of installing the lighting, which he described as rows of LED lights fitted on five foot-long tubes.

"When I took over looking after the memorial, no-one had tended to it for about 18 months," he said.

"It's beyond me why anyone would want something like this. It's a war memorial, not a Christmas tree with fairy lights.

"The War Memorial Trust has said there aren't lights like this on any other memorials in this country, but it's only a charity, and it can't do anything about it.

"The lights are cheap, tacky, and just pointless. They're so in your face, it looks like a fairground ride. It's just not dignified.

"I can't fault the Cromies for the work they do for older residents in the village, but there was just no need for this.

"Some kind of temporary up-lighting for special occasions would have been okay, but the more we draw attention to the memorial, the more it will be targeted by vandals.

Mrs Cromie - who lost her seat on Bradford Council by five votes in the election earlier this month - said she had spent a lot of time organising for the memorial to be illuminated, and was "appalled" to hear the lighting would now be removed.

"I'm very upset, and will be contacting the Council to look into this decision," she said.

"We had several requests from residents to light up the memorial as part of the First World War centenary celebrations, and people were very supportive of the idea.

"We had lots of comments from people who said the memorial looked fantastic when it was lit up, saying it was a fitting tribute to those who lost their lives."

A Council spokesman said: "A request was made to the street lighting team some time ago from one of the ward councillors to light the memorial, and the lighting was installed.

"After a site meeting with the conservation team, parks and landscapes, street lighting, and the resident who tends the memorial, it has been decided that the installation method and type of equipment is not in keeping with the memorial and as such, has been removed."