Police have been called in to investigate allegations of intimidation at the Bradford Council elections in Keighley.

Bradford Council's acting chief executive Philip Robinson has referred the matter to the police after considering a report drawn up by the presiding officer at the Highfield School Polling Station.

Today Council leader Ian Greenwood said: "If there is any indication of problems it is the responsibility of the returning officer to refer the matter to the police."

The inquiry surrounds claims that Conservative party members used intimidating behaviour during the contest for the Keighley West seat.

It was retained by Labour Councillor Barry Thorne but he says he was frightened to campaign on the streets.

Labour Keighley West ward Councillor Andy Mudd has written to Conservative Party leader William Hague asking for an investigation into the allegations. In his letter to Mr Hague he says that "nothing short of a war against democracy" took place on polling day.

But Bradford Council Conservative leader Councillor Margaret Eaton has written to Councillor Mudd and Mr Hague saying that similar allegations were made at Toller during last year's elections involving candidates of both main parties which were not publicly condemned by Labour.

Keighley MP Anne Cryer also says she also believes people were intimidated during the election in Keighley and she says she found the presiding officer a "shaken man."

Now Coun Thorne is demanding apologies from Coun Eaton and Conservative agent John Galvin.

He said he had reported alleged intimidation to the returning officer John Brown.

Conservative candidate Arshad Majeeb has refuted the allegations and Mr Galvin has dismissed them as "arrant nonsense".

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