Families who were blasted out of their beds at 6.30am as sound technicians prepared for the Party in the Park can expect to slumber on a little longer this year.

Angry people living near Myrtle Park, Bingley, put in strong complaints about a deafening "dawn chorus" when sound technicians tested the public address system hours before the massive party.

But Bradford Council has now banned testing until 9am at the earliest for the event next year.

But today Councillor David Heseltine (Con, Bingley) who rushed to the park after being woken by the deafening noise at his home in nearby Nab Wood said: "I should have thought 10.30am is about enough but I think local people should have a say.

"Sunday is the only morning when a lot of people can sleep after a busy week and a tiring week at work.

"I was down at the site at about 7.30 along with local people. It just can't happen again. There should be proper management."

More than 25,000 people packed the park in August to see Gareth Gates head a string of other pop celebrities on stage.

Fans were ecstatic when he belted his songs from the stage put later there were complaints from the audience about being moved off the ground at high speed at the end and the attitude of stewards who said they had to leave.

There were also problems when illegal hawkers homed in on the event and other complaints when the stewards removed canes and sticks from flags which people had bought before they got into the park.

The spectators were told the flags had to be dismantled in the interests of health and safety in the events arena.

Now Bradford Council officers are recommending that the public address system company should be informed in writing before the event of the time restrictions on sound checks and the audience will not be asked to move out of the park for up to one hour after the concert ends.

The company which supplies the stewards has also apologised for the manner in which people were asked to leave.

The stewards will also clear illegal hawkers off the park, backed up by police.

The Council's culture and regeneration scrutiny committee, which will receive a report on Tuesday on the event, will be told by head of parks and landscape services David Talbot it had been acknowledged by both police and safety advisors as being well run and professionally managed.

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