Bradford's curry kings are missing out in a top competition that originated in the city.

Curry chefs in the city believe they should be showing the rest of the nation how it's done in the national finals of the Curry Chef of the Year, which takes place in Harrogate on Wednesday.

But there are no entries from Bradford as no one organised local heats.

Mohammed Saheed, manager of the Nawaab restaurant on Manor Row, which won the contest in 1993 and was runner-up in 1994, said: "It is unfortunate they stopped. I think Bradford Council should start the competition again.

"It is not just about curry chefs. It puts the city on the map with all the publicity that follows."

Omar Khan, chef and joint owner of the Shah Jehan restaurant in Little Horton Lane, was a finalist in the competition in 1994.

His business partner, Javid Iqbal, said: "It was a good idea, there is no doubt about it. Competitions like that can build up a reputation for Bradford so that outsiders know we are the curry capital of Britain.

"I would like to see the Council doing something about bringing it back. There is no harm in it and lots of other places manage to compete."

The competition began eight years ago in Bradford as a way of building relations between the Trade Association of Asian Restaurants (TARRO) and the Council's environmental health department.

It was a huge success and other areas from across the country soon joined in.

By 1998 the contest had become so big that the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) had to take over the organisation of the regional heats and national finals.

But Bradford dropped out and TARRO went bust.

The Council said it could not continue the competition without a partner to help organise it.

But CIEH spokesman James Page argues that it should not prove too difficult to enter the contest.

He said the Council would only have to organise a group of judges to visit the various restaurants.

He said: "It is very disappointing from our point of view because Bradford is the home of the competition.

"We would love to have Bradford back in, as the city is synonymous with curry."