Almost 40,000 ballot forms have been issued from City Hall to people who have applied to vote by post in Thursday's local elections.

The figure compares with only 28,000 in Birmingham - a city twice the size of Bradford - and about 31,600 in Leeds.

In Bradford Moor and Little Horton, where the highest number have been issued, approximately one in five people don't want to go to the polling stations to cast their votes.

Bradford Moor has an electorate of 10,449 and 2,134 forms have been issued for postal voting.

Little Horton is second, with only two fewer, and has an electorate of 9,628.

In University ward, 1,688 people will vote by post.

The figures have been released amid widespread concern about corruption and fears that people may be threatened into handing their postal vote over, or that voting forms may be bought.

Large numbers of complaints surrounding the misuse of postal votes went to the Council's Chief Executive Ian Stewart, who is also Returning Officer.

Police have also investigated allegations but no action has been taken.

Postal voters have been warned by police that they must not let anyone fill in the forms for them and must sign and post them themselves.

Mr Stewart has said stringent checks are being carried out and a pledge has been made that any evidence of abuse will be fully investigated.

Postal votes must reach the Council before 9pm on Thursday when polling ends.