Bradford police are an arresting force behind the district's Capital of Culture campaign.

First Bradford cabbies started spreading the message, with Bradford 2008 logo emblazoned across their taxis. Then the city's Horses at Work did their bit, with Capital of Culture car stickers displayed on their carts.

Now the distinctive colourful emblem of the letter B, for Bradford, will adorn 140 police vehicles. so that people across the three Bradford police divisions will be reminded of the bid every time they see a police car.

West Yorkshire Assistant Chief Constable Greg Wilkinson said: "The police in Bradford are backing this campaign all the way and we are happy to do all we can to assist the Capital of Culture team in achieving this goal.

"This bid gives the city a great opportunity for investment and regeneration and will put Bradford where it belongs - at the height of cultural diversity."

Police vehicles have already been displaying Capital of Culture car stickers in their windows.

Bradford 2008 director Paul Brookes said: "We are delighted the police are branding their vehicles. It adds to the enormous support they already show us."

Cockney cabbie Gary Cobb started the trend for getting Bradford's bid on the road when his traditional-style London taxi was covered in the 2008 logo. The cab hit the road when Bradford's bid was presented to the Government in March.

Cabbies from the district have also had their cabs decorated with the logo.

Mr Brookes said the message was spreading. "There has been a lot of interest in the logo and we've had endless requests for car stickers, badges and posters," he said.

"The mission is to spread the word - the word about the glorious countryside that makes up two-thirds of the district, about 4,400 listed buildings, theatres and galleries, the model village of our World Heritage Status site, Saltaire, the Hockney gallery at Salts Mill, and about the most visited museum outside London - the award-winning National Museum of Photography, Film and Television."