It may be a humble T-shirt but in Bradford it's this season's fashion must-have.

Style-conscious teenagers like Aleesha Khan, Craig Winward, Polly Johnston and Samuel Swaine, pictured, are proudly wearing them with the name of their home town emblazoned across the front.

It's all down to the success of Bradford's Capital of Culture campaign, and its recent backing by pop sensation Gareth Gates.

Youngsters have been snapping up Bradford T-shirts to follow in Gareth's footsteps and show off their roots.

Sales of the shirts have soared since Bradford's Capital of Culture bid was delivered in a blaze of publicity that has seen the district become a favourite to win the 2008 title.

And since Bradford's pop idol Gareth publicly backed the bid by helping to deliver it in London, young fans are keen to support their home town.

Catherine Bowhill, manager of Bradford Tourist Information Centre where the Bradford T-shirts are on sale, said fashion-conscious teenagers had been queuing up to buy them.

"Sales have increased fourfold over recent weeks. They have really gone up since Gareth backed the Capital of Culture bid," she said.

"Now, especially since he topped the charts, young people want to be seen backing Bradford as well. It's pretty unusual to see young people so keen to show they are from Bradford!

"Normally we only sell the T-shirts to students - mainly foreign ones - around the time when they are starting or leaving college. They buy them as souvenirs of their time in Bradford.

"But recently we noticed a sudden increase in sales which surprised us at first - until a young customer explained she was buying one to wear at a Pop Idol concert.

"Kids have been queuing up to buy them, hoping to catch Gareth's eye, as well as letting everyone know they too are from Bradford.

"We are delighted to see young people showing pride in their city, especially now we are bidding for such an important international title. We need to show that there is support here in Bradford for the bid - and to have the backing of young people is fantastic."

Polly Johnston, 18, an A-level student at Hanson School, said: "Gareth is really good for Bradford - he's showing it's not all bad news!

"When he supported the Capital of Culture bid more people of our age became interested in it. He's showing young people in Bradford that it's good to be proud of where they come from."

Aleesha Khan, 16, attends Dixons City Technology College, where Gareth was a pupil.

"We're proud to show that we're from Bradford, just like him," she said. "The Capital of Culture bid will bring more people here, to see all the attractions we have."

Gareth took time out from the recent Pop Idol tour to help deliver the bid. He said he wanted to "show the rest of Europe just how much my hometown has to offer".

He added: "My roots are in Bradford and it will always be home to me."

The T-shirts, which cost £9.50, are available in four colours from Tourist Info Centres across the district.

l Gareth looks set to lose his number one crown on Sunday, after four weeks at the top.

Oasis's new single Hindu Times has massively outsold Gareth's version of Unchained Melody according to national sales figures.