Run-down Manningham Middle School has been bought by Bradford's oldest Islamic organisation to turn into a school for girls from all faiths.

The Jamigat Tabligh Ul Islam Association is completing the purchase after an offer of £240,000 was accepted for the historic building - formerly Belle Vue Boys' Grammar School - in Manningham Lane.

Bradford writer JB Priestley was once a pupil at the school, which became empty as a result of the district's school reorganisation.

It was picked two years ago by Bradford City Football Club as the ideal venue for its own education-based and sports facilities.

But the Minhaj-Ul-Quran organisation gazumped the club and announced its plan for a 500-pupil school for Islamic youngsters aged between 11 and 18.

Plans collapsed in September last year when the organisation announced the project would not be financially viable. The group has already spent £500,000 renovating the listed building.

Today Khadim Hussain, pictured, a trustee of the Jamigat, said the organisation planned a Muslim-based school which would have a broad curriculum for girls of all faiths.

He added that it hoped to open the school next Septem-ber but it was a large old building which had been vandalised.

"We will take professional advice on how it should be run and it will be staffed by professionals," he added.

Mr Hussain's son Sajid, an Oxford graduate and head of chemistry at Nab Wood School who will spearhead the project, said he believed it would be the first of its kind in the country.

Mr Hussain, who will remain in his existing job as well as leading the project, said the school would have broad ethical values.

"It would not be a Madrassa type school, but we would be looking at an academic school," he said. "We would expect it to be like the best independent schools and have excellent results."

The Council's Executive member for education, David Ward, said: "Our objective is to get our pupils well educated wherever they may be. Our own schools are improving at a dramatic rate.

"I am very pleased about the multi-cultural nature of the school which will contribute to community cohesion in the district."