KEIGHLEY community leaders have been left shocked and mystified after a children’s project to enhance part of Laycock was destroyed by “unauthorised” resurfacing.

Youngsters from Laycock Primary School, who planted flowers in a previously neglected layby on Laycock Lane, have been upset to find the results of their hard work buried under a fresh layer of asphalt.

It has left both their school and other supporters of the project baffled, as Bradford Council says it was not responsible for laying down the new asphalt, and does not currently know who did it.

Keighley town councillor John Kirby, who used £300 from his Laycock and Braithwaite ward fund to support the planting scheme, said: “I’m disgusted. All the flowers the children put in have gone, before they even had a chance to really start growing. The kids will be devastated.

“All we were trying to do was help make this area look better, but now it looks a right mess.

“It’s not as if they’ve even tried to resurface the whole layby properly.

"They've just done this patch near the bench, where the flowers were planted, and another bit nearby.

"It doesn't make sense. It's almost as if someone had some leftover asphalt which they wanted to use up.

"They'd have been better off using it to fill in potholes on the roads.

"All it has achieved has been to make the area look worse. I can't understand it."

Cllr Alex Ross-Shaw, Bradford Council's portfolio holder for regeneration, planning and transport, said: “This is a very disappointing situation and we understand people’s sadness and frustration.

“These aren’t approved works, neither were they carried out by Bradford Council. We visited the site last week and can confirm the area has been partially asphalted.

“The council is trying to find out who has done this and why they’ve done it.”

The flower planting at the location by Laycock Primary youngsters was done in spring of this year.

In addition to the town council funding allocated by Cllr Kirby, the 11 year four children were supported by Keighley gardener Steve Thorpe, community development worker Pip Gibson, and teacher Emma Holt.

A pair of local residents and the Keighley branch of the bakery Greggs also backed the initiative.

The group cut back vegetation, making a hidden bench on the edge of the layby accessible again, planted foxglove and poppy flowers on both sides of the bench, then enjoyed a picnic.

Commenting this week, Cllr Kirby said he believed the unapproved asphalting which has smothered the pupils' flowers took place about six or seven weeks after the planting.

Freya Carroll, a class teacher at Laycock Primary, said: "It's very strange, because it's not like the new asphalt has added any extra parking space to the layby. It seems like such a pointless exercise.

"The children were buzzing about what they'd achieved, and they'd had such a lovely morning making the spot look beautiful.

"We're teaching them to take pride in their area and be proud of their community, so this is really disappointing."

Keighley West councillor Adrian Farley confirmed he had been given no prior warning of the resurfacing in the layby.

"I'm disappointed and upset about it, particularly in light of the positive work Cllr Kirby has done with the school," he said.

Haworth-based gardener Steve Thorpe, who has spent years carrying out environmentally friendly planting sessions with school children, said: "It's a shame for the kids because they put in a lot of work and effort.

"We'd spent a morning up at the layby planting the flowers which would have been good for wildlife and would have made the area more colourful.

"The bench had been totally overgrown, so we cut back the undergrowth to give people somewhere nice to sit and enjoy the view.

"Money is tight at the moment, so it was good that Keighley Town Council was prepared to fund the project.

"The children were looking forward to seeing the flowers grow and flourish, so it's very sad to hear this has happened."