Bradford's first legal graffiti wall could be developed - underground.

The wall looks likely to be located in a subway under Odsal roundabout after hundreds of young people signed a petition urging the Council to provide one.

Widespread public consultation will be held on the proposal, beginning at Wibsey and Odsal daytime and evening neighbourhood forums this month.

Ruth Ozolins, 19, who organised the 300-name petition, said she was delighted they had been listened to.

But Ruth, who lives in Idle and is doing a B-Tech Foundation course in Arts, said she would have preferred it to be outdoors and more visible to the public.

She hopes to attend the neighbourhood forum meeting and believed a legal graffiti wall would encourage young people to draw creatively. Currently graffiti is classed as criminal damage. Magistrates can impose fines of up to £5,000 and send offenders to prison for six months.

Bradford Council sees three types of graffiti in the district:

l protest graffiti which includes racist inflammatory remarks

l general graffiti by children or teenagers at bus shelters, playgrounds and areas where young people meet. Material includes marker pens and occasionally spray paint and the graffiti returns very quickly after removal

l tag graffiti - well organised, territorial marking with spray paint which is usually carried out by people aged 14 to 28.

The removal of graffiti costs the Council about £150,000 a year, using four operators, two vehicles and supervisors.

It would cost up to £2,000 to install a legal system which would be managed. John Breen, Bradford South Area Panel co-ordinator, said: "There will be widespread consultation and this will go to a number of neighbourhood forums. It has been successful elsewhere."

The Wibsey and Odsal evening forum will be on Thursday at the Salvation Army Church and Community Centre at Holroyd Hill at 7.30pm.

Another forum will be on Tuesday, February 11, at 1.30pm at Odsal Comm-unity Centre in Crawford Avenue.