Bradford's bus crews have flocked to their own new "school" to learn Spanish for their holidays.

Languages is the top subject to be chosen by staff from Bradford's First bus company which has set up classrooms in its depot at Bowling Back Lane.

The company is the second in Britain from the First bus group to open its own "school," following in the footsteps of Leeds.

The 560 staff - including people working in the offices - can choose from a number of subjects being taught in the life-long learning scheme operated in partnership with Bradford College.

First operations director Kadim Hussain said the company needed 100 'pupils' to keep the school going - but already 200 workers had said they wanted to join.

Mr Hussain, who has gone back to class to learn languages, said: "We believe it provides incentives for staff and we hope it will be a way of retaining them."

He said the staff attended the classes at the depot in their own time and there was also great interest in the IT courses.

Taj Salam, president of the Bradford branch of the Transport and General Workers Union and Sharon Wyeth, the company's administration and development officer will go to the college to learn how to become tutors. Learning mentors are also being supplied by the college to take part in the project.

Mr Hussain said: "People can do Spanish or German among a variety of languages and I believe they are popular because Bradford is a multicultural city. Some people are also learning English.

"The classes are run during normal working time but the company is considering operating them outside hours to help people who would normally have gone home and then attended night school."

Councillor Phil Thornton, a full-time driver at First, said the scheme was a great way for drivers to boost their skills.

"Drivers find it virtually impossible to engage in further education due to the complicated shift patterns that operate throughout the industry," he said.

"This welcome initiative at First cuts through those issues and offers valuable opportunities for staff."

And he said the scheme was proving a hit with staff.

"They had a registration day on a Sunday and a lot of people came in. That shows how people are keen to put in the time, and it's having a positive impact on moral as well."

Coun Thornton (Lab, Shipley East) said he was too busy with his council work to take part himself, but would love to have the chance to learn Spanish for when he goes to Majorca.

"It would make life so much easier abroad if you could speak the language," he said.

Azar Rahman, 33, who has worked for the company for 13 years, is doing the advanced information technology course and describes the scheme as excellent.

"It is a great opportunity, especially for drivers to develop greater skills. Mr Hussain is pictured looking over the training course literature with drivers Sangha Dadar, Taj Salam, Rashpal Rahill, Glen Weston, Jai Chand, Azar Rahman and Mikesh Mistry