Dust off your dancing shoes, Bradford folk want to party their way into the Millennium.

In a Telegraph & Argus survey we asked you how you wanted to celebrate the year 2000 and the biggest vote was in favour of a big bash in Centenary Square.

We were impressed with the healthy postbag from readers answering our survey. The responses showed enthusiasm, imagination and a determination that Bradford should go into the Millennium in style.

One thing is certain - most of you want to mark the year 2000 with fun and festivities.

Twenty per cent of those who answered our survey opted for a big city-centre party while 15 per cent wanted a street party and a further 15 per cent chose a carnival.

But although you are already in party mood only nine per cent of our readers have already booked their Millennium celebration.

As many as 77 per cent of our readers surveyed thought Bradford should have a permanent Millennium memorial. The most popular ideas included a park, a fountain and a time capsule.

We offered a £100 cash prize for the best suggestion and chose a coloured water fountain as the most inventive idea. While 12 per cent of our readers surveyed chose a fountain, we selected Connie Baxter, 60, of Low Ash Avenue, Wrose, as the winner. We felt her idea for a futuristic fountain with coloured lights and music is something which would be a permanent monument for young and old alike for centuries to come.

Mrs Baxter said: "It's absolutely brilliant, I'm gobsmacked. I think the fountain would be really good as a Millennium monument because it would look futuristic and be a real crowd-puller. I've seen something similar in the Isle of Wight and it was spectacular. I hope Bradford Council will consider going ahead with it."

Mrs Baxter said she had not decided how she was going to celebrate on Millennium Eve yet but she would definitely consider sharing it with thousands of others in Centenary Square.

Bradford Council leader Ian Greenwood was delighted by the T&A survey. He said: "I welcome such an imaginative response to the survey. It seems that people have a good idea of how they want to celebrate the Millennium and we will take them all into account.''

T&A Opinion

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