A major investment in Bradford's libraries has seen a dramatic rise in the number of children borrowing books - the first such increase in ten years.

The libraries service received a £163,000 increase in its annual budget this year and a one-off payment of £350,000 for new books. The cash injection is believed to have led to a seven per cent increase in the number of children's books loaned over the course of the year.

The news comes just a day after library services across the country were criticised by a parliamentary committee which said they were crippled by under-investment.

The all-party Culture Select Committee demanded a halt to the "significant deterioration" in public libraries and called on local authorities to repair and redevelop their buildings and restock bookshelves.

But Ian Watson, Bradford's head of libraries, said investment in the district's reading rooms is rising and more people are using them as a result.

He said: "Investment is beginning to show a return - this is the first time in a decade that children's book loans have gone up."

Yesterday's parliamentary committee labelled the decline of Britain's libraries a scandal and called for an extra £650 million investment.

There is a chance Lottery money might be invested in the service nationally, as has happened in the past, but meanwhile Bradford has committed to the relocation of the Allerton branch and refurbishment in Keighley.

On top of this there are plans to expand Central Library into a media centre, which will attract hi-tech industries, and link branch libraries with sports centres to increase customer numbers.

The select committee also called on councils to stop charging for computer and internet use - something the Bradford authority has never done.

Mr Watson said Bradford's ageing library buildings are the biggest headache facing the service: "The major challenge facing us is in terms of our buildings and that is one we have to address over the next year as we develop our premises strategy," he said.

"Some of our libraries have been around for 100 years and, in some cases, centres of communities have shifted.

"But we know that when a library is built or given a major refurbishment it sees a 40 per cent long-term increase in customers."

Despite the problems, he says, Bradford's libraries should be proud of the way they have used the internet to turn every branch into a main library: "In the past there were books and collections we could only afford to put in the central library," he said.

"But the electronic service means customers can go into Wyke or another branch and get it. We are working on developing this idea."