Keighley Town Council is set to join the coloured wristband craze -- to play its part in a high-profile campaign to keep political extremists out of the town.

Councillor Glen Miller and deputy mayor Cllr Tony Wright have put forward plans for the town council to spend £1,000 to buy 1,550 bands.

The bracelets are to be half-black and half-white and will include the wording "KTC Against Racism" -- standing for Keighley Town Council or Keighley Together Communities.

They are expected to arrive by the end of the month and will be distributed around the town.

Cllr Miller believes the town council, as a non-political organisation, should be taking a lead in such a campaign. He said: "About three or four weeks ago, there was a letter in the paper saying with regards to a certain political party that there was no lead in Keighley.

"The Keighley Together campaign is a cross party political campaign, but I brought it to the attention of the Mayor that the town council is here to take a lead on things like this.

"I think it is a way, especially for young people, to show their support because they are the next voters and the next people sitting in this chamber."

The popular use of wristbands to publicise a message was started by cyclist Lance Armstrong in support of his cancer foundation. Armstrong has sold yellow bands to raise money for the foundation. Since then many other bracelets have followed.

Town Mayor Cllr Allan Rhodes said: "I am fully supportive of anything which leads to community cohesion."

Keighley Together was started in January, partly as a two-fold campaign. The campaign has highlighted the positive aspects of Keighley and also challenged the outside extremists, including the BNP, which is targeting Keighley. The group has printed thousands of posters, including the words "Hope Not Hate. Count Me In!"

The priest-in-charge at All Saints Church, the Rev Jonathan Pritchard, who has been fronting the campaign, said: "It's a great idea. It is such a simple but practical way to support our town. On behalf of Keighley Together, a big thank you to the town council."

l This week about 30 people from across the town stood in Town Hall Square, holding up letters spelling out "Keighley Together" to express solidarity for the drive to show the good side of living in Keighley.

Amjad Zaman said Town Hall Square was an ideal place to celebrate the best aspects of Keighley.

He said: "This place is quite poignant. While I was a deputy mayor I laid a wreath on the war memorial. I realised the sacrifices our forefathers made so that we could vote. We want to make sure we fight for decency, so that everyone will have a voice."