One police officer spent more than 400 hours viewing video and photographic evidence in an effort to spot images of an arson suspect from the Bradford riots, a jury has heard.

Andrew Davis said he was working 12-hour days, six days a week, analysing hours of film footage looking for the man, who had been given the nickname Curly Hair because of the wig he was wearing.

Over a six-week period he spent about 480 hours viewing the footage and producing a compilation video showing the man's activities that night.

Yesterday the Bradford Crown Court jury was shown the video, which included shots of the suspect calmly trying to set light to curtains at the Manningham Ward Labour Club. The colour footage, shot by a police officer from across the road, showed the man using a lighter to try to set fire to the curtains through a broken window.

After about a minute the man, who the prosecution allege is 48-year-old businessman Mohammed Ilyas, could be seen walking away having failed to light the fire-resistant curtains.

A few minutes later black and white footage from the CCTV equipment at the club shows a man returning to the window carrying a burning object. The officer said he believed the item was a rear parcel shelf from a burning car nearby.

The police cameraman, John Joyce, was not filming at that time, but in a statement read to the court he said he saw the man in a curly wig drop the burning object through the broken window.

The court has heard how 23 people were trapped inside the burning club after it came under attack at the height of the riots almost two years ago.

Ilyas, of Prospect Road, Wapping, Bradford, has pleaded not guilty to a charge of arson with intent to endanger the lives of the staff and members inside in the club.

He has also denied an alternative allegation of arson being reckless as to whether their lives would be endangered.

The video compilation is said to show Ilyas on the streets some two hours before the attack on the Labour club.

In it he is seen chatting with Asian youths and watching as rioters try to push a car into the police lines.

Mr Davis highlighted various identifying features of the suspect, including the wig, a reddish T-shirt which appeared to be worn inside out, a silver-coloured watch and his trainers.

He also noted that the man had a prominent stomach and stubble on his face.

The trial continues.