A Keighley social club has broken with 34 years of tradition by allowing women to become members for the first time.

St Anne's Social Club in Spring Gardens Lane this week welcomed Liz O'Brien as its first female member after the committee voted in favour of admitting women.

The decision ends a men-only membership ruling that was introduced when the catholic club first opened its doors in 1966.

It follows controversy surrounding Silsden's Sunnybank Social Club which refuses to give women equal status. Keighley MP Anne Cryer has launched a bid to change licensing laws to resolve the continuing conflict.

St Anne's chairman Tony Steele said: "We saw this (men-only) wasn't the way to be going in this day and age so we decided to open up equal membership to ladies over the age of 18.

"It is something that has been raised on several occasions. Even wives had to be signed in by their husbands, which has been a bone of contention, so there was a need to move forward.

"When we announced the decision we had a massive response from local women and we must have sent out more than 100 application forms on the first day."

Mr Steele said another spur has been the change to diocese guidelines which advocates equal membership for both sexes. He added: "We lease the premises from the diocese at Leeds and they have a set of rules that says membership should be open to all members of the parish."

Liz O'Brien said: "I'm really pleased to be the first female member of the club and I would like to pay tribute to my mum and her friends who have pushed the committee for these changes."

Doug Bolton, assistant secretary at Sunny Bank Social Club, said that St Anne's decision to allow women would not influence his club.

He said: "It won't influence us to go down the same route unless our members change their minds."

Mr Steele said: "We want to make it perfectly clear that women, like men, will have to be a full practising member for two years before taking office."

The committee will be holding interviews with around 100 women applicants soon.

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