Keighley folk are being urged to come on board and show support for Bradford's campaign to become the European Capital of Culture in 2008.

Organisers of the bid say the Keighley area is an integral and vital part of its push for the prestigious title.

They believe the bid, which has the catchphrase "one landscape many views", will boost Keighley's profile nationally and internationally.

The town and surrounding villages could also reap rich cultural and financial dividends worth millions of pounds to the local economy.

Haworth and the Bront Parsonage, often seen as the jewel in Bradford's tourist trail, East Riddlesden Hall, Cliffe Castle and the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway are all seen as essential ingredients which bid organisers believe will prove to be a recipe for success.

Director of Bradford, Capital of Culture, Paul Brookes, said: "What we are very keen to emphasise and recognise is the important role that Keighley plays within the different parts of the bid.

"We are bringing UK attention to the district, so that raises the profile of Keighley. If we are successful with the bid it will attract attention from Europe and the rest of the world.

"The key benefit is that it will recognise the different identities and mixture of communities in towns like Keighley. It would attract investment into the town, and part of that would be through the knock on benefits of tourism. Becoming Capital of Culture attracts an extra 12 per cent increase in sustainable tourism.

"If we are successful we would receive £20 million in the Bradford district from outside sources, with tourism alone worth an estimated £40 million a year for the sustainable future.

"We would attract people to things they would not normally have heard of, as well as the flagship tourist attractions, and we would link up with events such as Keighley Festival."

He said that one of the more immediate things to do was to improve road signs in Keighley to highlight its many different attractions.

He added: "There is a sense of confidence gained from the fact that something positive is happening, which also makes it easier to attract business and investment.

"The potential is there for Keighley to become one of Yorkshire's renaissance towns."

Mr Brookes said that even if the bid was unsuccessful it would still have positive knock-on effects for the area.

He also pointed to the renaissance Glasgow has enjoyed since it was made the first British Capital of Culture in 1990.

A total of 14 cities in Britain are battling it out to win the coveted title, and must submit their applications by the end of March.

The shortlist will be announced in the autumn, with the winner announced in March 2003.

The chances don't look good for Bradford, according to betting agency Blue Square, which gives it odds of 14-1 compared to the favourite, Belfast, at 7-2.

Bradford 2008 has a 53-strong partnership board which is chaired by Lord Puttnam and includes a cross section of people from across the district.

Keighley MP Ann Cryer, Graham Mitchell of the Bront Country Partnership, Caroline Schwaller of Keighley Voluntary Services and Khadim Hussain of the Sangat Centre have all joined the board as representatives for Keighley.

One of Keighley's most famous sons, Lord Healey, has thrown his support behind the bid, as have sports clubs, including Keighley Cougars, and organisations like Yorkshire Forward.

Mr Brookes added that people could show support by submitting their own ideas about how the bid could be improved and by wearing the badges with the David Hockney-inspired logo.

More information can be obtained from the web site (www.bradford2008.com).