Bradford Council is gearing up for a bitter winter - and it believes global-climate changes caused by Pacific Ocean currents are to blame.

Last year's exceptionally mild winter resulted in snow clearing being needed for only three days compared to the usual 15.

But the Council's transport chief, Alan Mainwaring, is preparing for worse this year and will have staff on standby 24 hours a day.

He says this year's winter is expected to be the opposite of last year, when snow was rarely seen due to the high temperatures caused by the warm El Nino current in the Pacific.

But the Council's forecast is not shared by other weather experts.

A Met Office spokesman said he believed the authority was jumping the gun with any predictions so far in advance. And a Press Association weather spokesman said: "This is scaremongering. No one in the country can give a long-term forecast."

The Council's principal highways engineer Keith Smith will tell the highways sub-committee next Wednesday that last year's mild winter was caused by "the warm, dry effect of El Nino resulting in a warming of the Pacific Ocean by approximately seven degrees centigrade and a rise in temperature over the land of four degrees.

And he adds: "This year the reverse effect, a cold, wet phase - El Nina - is expected to prevail, in which case a more severe winter could be anticipated."

Councillor Phil Thornton, chairman of the highways sub-committee which will consider the annual £1.4 million winter maintenance plan, said: "It's important to remember even the weather forecasters are sometimes surprised by sudden changes in the weather but the highways department has drawn up a plan aimed at providing the best standard of service possible, even under the worst possible circumstances."

Health and ambulance services are also working in partnership with the Council's social services directorate on a winter plan to serve the community. It includes provision of hospital beds and arrangements in case people are stuck in homes.

Mr Smith will also report to the sub-committee that the Council's hi-tech ice prediction system has been upgraded and extended to take in more roads. It can detect temperatures on individual roads, using an infra- red camera.

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