A one-man campaign to get Bradford Council to fly the Union flag on top of City Hall all year round is set for victory.

Ex-national serviceman Peter Makin began his battle by sending letters to Council officers.

But he upped the stakes when he confronted Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith while he was touring the city earlier last week.

Bradford Council leader Councillor Margaret Eaton, who was among the party but knew nothing about the 62-year-old's efforts, agreed to take up the matter and get it sorted.

Coun Eaton told the Telegraph & Argus she was "all in favour" of flying the flag.

"I've indicated that I would like to see it happen, but it may need to be approved by full Council," she added.

It is the second time Mr Makin, of Bradford Road, Oakenshaw, has succeeded in getting the flag flying on a public building. In March, Kirklees Council ruled that Dewsbury Town Hall should fly the flag after Mr Makin noticed it was missing during last year's Remembrance Service.

Mr Makin, who did his national service in Germany from 1958-60 with the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, even wrote to Prime Minister Tony Blair during his quest in Kirklees.

He said: "Bradford Council, just like Kirklees, said they had been issued with guidelines from Buckingham Palace which said it was obliged to fly the Union Flag 21 days of the year by command of the Queen.

"What I said was I've been to Moscow, Sydney and New York and all of them show off their national flag with pride all the year round - why can't Bradford?

"City Hall overlooks the Bradford Pals memorial stone, and I think it's only fitting that we honour the sacrifices they made by laying down their lives in the First World War.

"I'm just proud of my country and of my flag."

A Bradford Council spokesman said the current Council policy was to fly the Union Flag 21 days every year on significant occasions such as Royal birthdays, for example the Queen's birthday.

The spokesman said: "It is also traditional to fly appropriate flags at half-mast to mark occasions such as deaths of former and current councillors and members of the Royal Family, and the anniversary of the Bradford City fire."