A Tory councillor has resigned his party's whip over allegations that he belongs to a "swingers" club.

Andrew Smith, the chairman of Bradford South Conservative Association, took the decision after anonymous correspondence was sent to Bradford Council leaders.

Coun Smith, pictured, has voluntarily referred the matter to the Local Government Standards Board which considers whether local authority members have broken strict codes of conduct.

It will now decide whether an inquiry is necessary.

The correspondence contained a photograph, with the face obscured, which it was claimed came from a contacts website for local swingers, and which it was suggested was of Coun Smith.

The website describes itself as a way for "broad-minded" adults to meet.

Copies of the correspondence have also been sent to the Telegraph & Argus and Conservative Party leader Iain Duncan Smith.

In a statement Coun Smith, who regained his seat in the Queensbury ward in the May elections, said: "Following anonymous allegations of a personal nature made against me, but in no way related to my work as a councillor, I have taken steps to refer the matter to the Local Government Standards Board for further investigation.

"As a result, I have today informed the leader of my group that I shall be stepping aside from the party whip until any investigation is completed."

When asked by the T&A if he was on the photographs, he replied that he did not know.

He would not comment when asked if he was a member of the website named in the correspondence.

Council leader Margaret Eaton said: "Coun Andrew Smith has today informed me of his wish to withdraw from the Conservative group whip in order to allow a full investigation into anonymous allegations against him.

"These allegations were of a personal nature and not related to his role as a councillor.

"Coun Smith has acted entirely properly in immediately referring these allegation to the national Local Government Standards Board."

The Council's deputy leader, Councillor Simon Cooke, said: "The group leadership have met Andrew about these allegations. We would stress that the activities that have been alleged are not illegal."

The allegations were also sent to Labour group leader Ian Greenwood and Liberal-Democrat group leader Jeanette Sunderland.

Coun Greenwood said he had contacted the Council's acting chief executive Philip Robinson and Coun Eaton after receiving it.

Coun Sunderland said: "If people want to make allegations about other people's personal lives they ought to give their names and addresses."

Coun Smith is a governor of Queensbury Upper School and Shibden Head Primary School and on the management committee of Queensbury support centre for older people.

He has been a councillor since 1999 and played a leading part in the successful campaign to re-open a police office in the village.

He is chairman of the regulatory and appeals committee and deputy chairman of the corporate scrutiny committee, Bradford area planning panel and the hackney carriage and private hire panel. He is also a member of the health scrutiny committee.