Families were celebrating today after winning a bitter battle to stop a multi-million pound factory on a roundabout where their children play.

Thornbury Village Residents Association presented a 667-name petition to Bradford Council in March 1997 after Lexicon Marketing planned to build a £3.5 million factory on Thornbury roundabout. The company took over a factory in Shipley because of the "people power" protest.

Now the lobbying by the angry residents has resulted in the start this week of a £120,000 improvement scheme on the district's biggest traffic island.

The first phase of the work on Thornbury roundabout will include boundary fencing, seating, litter bins and a new footpath linking the central path to the new leisure complex that recently opened next to the site.

Further work will follow in the autumn when trees, shrubs and thousands of bulbs will be planted on the site.

Proposals for the roundabout were discussed at neighbourhood forums and with Thornbury Village Residents' Association, which campaigned to keep the roundabout free from development.

The improvements have been funded from the sale by Bradford Council of a strip of land at the roundabout as part of a road improvement scheme.

Campaigner Christine Watts said: "This fully proves we won the battle. We can't thank enough the people who supported us.

"It is wonderful that all this work is being done now to improve it for the community. We are thrilled that this is happening."

Councillor Anne Hawkes-worth, executive member for the environment, said: "This is one of the major entrance routes leading into Bradford and the improvements will make a significant impact for both local residents and people visiting the city on business or for pleasure.