Dozens of Bradford companies let their workers slob into work today dressed in jeans rather than their usual sharp suits and skirts.

But the slip in the city's dress standards from smart to casual didn't reflect a sloppy attitude to service from bosses, rather their charitable nature.

Dressed down workers all over the country were taking part in the Jeans for Genes fundraising day.

Organised by Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity, the day aimed to collect cash for research into genetic disorders affecting children and to provide support for their families.

One in 30 babies born in the UK is affected by a genetic disease or other birth defect and anyone wearing denims to work today was asked to donate a minimum of £1 to the fund.

Companies large and small throughout Bradford joined in.

Lynn Shearer from Empire Stores said the 800 staff at the company's Bradford headquarters were being encouraged to come into work in their jeans although it wasn't compulsory.

Danielle Constantine, 25, who works for Network Employment Consultancy, organised a mass 'Jeans for Genes Day' for all the staff in the 16 companies which make up the Enterprise 5 Complex in Idle.

Ironically Danielle had to stay in her suit as she was meeting an important client!

And the traditionally super smart profession of banking wasn't left out.

Manager Linda Hook and her team at the NatWest Bank in Wibsey donned their denims and customer services manager Andrew Bray joined his team at the Royal Bank of Scotland in Bank Street and dressed down for the day.

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