A dance teacher did a jig of joy today after it emerged an ancient law banning Sunday dancing is set to be lifted.

Last May the Telegraph & Argus revealed how Tommy Kean had been forced to axe his Sunday salsa classes after Bradford Council invoked the 1780 Sunday Observance Act.

More than 30 dancers at Shipley's Lakean Ballroom were left kicking their heels after the Council sent Mr Kean a letter pointing out that the 18th-century act made it illegal to charge for dancing on a Sunday.

The Council said although it did not pro-actively enforce the law it had had a legal duty to invoke the legislation after receiving a complaint about the Sunday dancing.

But now the Government has announced plans, expected to come into force later this year, to lift the ban.

A delighted Mr Kean, who owns the Lakean, said: "At long last something's being done about this archaic law - I'm dancing for joy.

"I've been teaching dance since the 1940s without any problems and only got into trouble last year because someone objected and informed the Council.''

Mr Kean, 79, of Cullingworth, said he had only opened the Briggate venue on a handful of Sundays since last spring and then without dancing.

He said: "It has affected my income quite a lot. I haven't been earning the money I should have been. Once it's all official and I get the okay I'll be re-opening on a Sunday and also taking bookings for functions.''

A Council licensing spokesman said: "If the Act was revoked Mr Kean would be free to charge for classes on Sundays. As we have previously said, we only enforce this law if a complaint is made and we would be happy to see it revoked.''

Dean Loynes, licensee at Bradford's Boilerhouse club, welcomed the proposed change, adding: "It's an antiquated law and this will bring us into the 21st century.''

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.