A jazz band which had been playing in the district for more than 35 years until it was flooded out of its venue is now back in the town.

Mal Webb's well-known New Orleans Jazz Band had the blues when the Brown Cow in Bingley was flooded in October 2000.

This was the start of a series of problems for the six-piece band as it struggled to get playing again.

But now it is back together after its longest break since it set up in Bingley over 35 years ago.

The band had played at the pub for 23 years when the Aire burst its banks.

Mal, of Garforth Road, Keighley, pictured, said a refurbishment got under way and the band was told it could return after the work was completed.

During the following year the band was contacted by two new landlords from the Brown Cow who said they wanted the band back once things were sorted out.

In the meantime, band members were bombarded with hundreds of letters from fans begging them to return.

But Mal said in the end there were problems with the entertainments licence involving facilities for disabled people and the band decided to look for another venue.

Now the band - Mal/Martyn Sharp (trumpet); Alf Kiernan (piano); Ken Butler (bass); Brian Preston (drums) and Mike Forbes (banjo) - will perform at Ryshworth Club, Crossflatts, every Monday from January 28.

Mal said: ''We are the last of the 2000 flood victims and we have finally found a new home. Our fans didn't know what had happened to us but we want them to know that we're back at last.

''We have always played in Bingley and it's a shame we couldn't get a straight 40-year run in, but everybody has done their best for us.''

The band was formed in 1964 and in 1992 Mal and his wife Joan received an invitation to attend a Buckingham Palace garden party to meet the Queen for his services to jazz.