A LILAC bush has been given to the city of Bradford by a Canadian dignitary as a gesture of friendship.

Today, the Lord Mayor of Bradford, Councillor Joanne Dodds, planted the shrub in pride of place by The Broadway shopping centre on Well Street in the city.

The plant, a Canadian variety, was a gift to Bradfordians from Raymond Carriere of Quebec, who is the founding president of his country's Communities in Bloom scheme.

Although Mr Carriere was not able to come to the UK for the planting outside the new shopping centre, the Canadian nation was represented by a University of Bradford student called Choloe Chapple, who hails from Winnipeg in Manitoba.

The link to Canada was originally formed by Maurice Baren, of Yorkshire in Bloom, who has four times served as a judge on Canada's Communities in Bloom scheme.

Mr Baren, of Haworth, said: "Mr Carriere suggested he would like, on behalf of Communities in Bloom, to get a shrub to be placed over here.

"I suggested it would be a good idea to place it outside The Broadway centre, with all the landscaping that is going on."

Cllr Dodds said she was delighted to celebrate the strong links between Canada and the UK, especially through the use of plants.

She added: "I feel very strongly that greening up our towns, cities and villages lifts an area and makes us feel better."