Families living in a tiny town were celebrating today after the Boundary Commission said it might make a U-turn over proposals to "move" them into another area.

Denholme Town Council spearheaded a protest over Commission proposals to move it out of the Bingley Rural council ward. A petition signed by more than 1,000 people - half the population - was submitted and dozens of residents also put in objections.

Now Denholme is one of only three places countrywide to be singled out for further consultation by the Commission over its massive review of boundaries across England. The others are in North Dorset and Hartlepool.

The Mayor of Denholme, Councillor Anne Jay, said: "It is wonderful we have been listened to by the Boundary Commission and we will have another chance. There are strong community links in Bingley Rural and people had strong views over the proposal to move us into Thornton ward. This has made my day."

The town council feared the move would leave Denholme bottom of the funding pile because it would have been classified as part of mainly urban Bradford West.

A Boundary Commission spokesman said: "We are taking the very rare step of further consultation in Denholme. We received a large number of submissions."

A letter to residents about the decision suggests the option of transferring the Sandy Lane area of Heaton into Thornton instead. But it adds: "We are aware that this would be a significant change to make at this stage without knowledge of local feeling on the issue."

The Commission is inviting Bradford Council, political parties and people who previously made representations from Bingley Rural, as well as Heaton and Thornton wards, to get in touch by May 23.

Information is available by ringing review team leader Genevieve Butler on 0207 2710681.

The proposals have sparked objections across the district because all 30 Council wards would be changed. It means even neighbours in a street could find they technically live in two different areas.

Today Coun Anne Hawkesworth (Con, Ilkley) said she was deeply disappointed that Ilkley had not also been singled out for further consideration after large numbers of people objected because the secondary school, health centre and main supermarket would be moved into the new ward of Wharfedale under the proposals.