A village artist is brushing up on a scheme that could help transform Saltaire into Yorkshire's answer to Montmartre in Paris.

Since the late 19th and early 20th century, the Parisian district has been a magnet for painters and sketchers and become the French capital's artists' quarter.

Its famous cobbled square - the Place de Theatre - throngs with street artists painting pictures of passing tourists and nearby landmarks such as the Basilique du Sacre-Coeur church.

Saltaire can already lay claim to being something of a cultural centre with the 1853 Gallery - featuring the works of world-famous Bradford artist David Hockney - in Salts Mill, the Treacle Tubs gallery, home to the Yorkshire Itinerants- on Victoria Road, and the recently opened Alan's Gallery and Books at the Mill Stables.

But the village has been taking on the look of a mini Place de Theatre thanks to Saltaire-based artist and Bradford and Ilkley Community College lecturer Jake Atree, who is using it to give students from his further-education life art classes a chance to hone their skills by drawing its landscapes and architecture.

His students are now regularly setting up their easels in and around the 19th century model mill village, drawing everything from Salts Mill and Saltaire United Reformed Church to its rows of mill workers' cottages and the Leeds-Liverpool Canal.

Mr Atree, 48, is now throwing open his 'Saltaire days' to anyone interested in joining his regular students and hopes the initiative will help the village develop a reputation as a centre for serious drawing. He believes there could even be scope eventually to launch a series of drawing holidays based in the village. Mr Atree said: "Until the artist Maurice Utrillo immortalised Montmartre with his pictures, it was seen as a rather grubby and run-down environ of Paris.

"But art can help bring a place to people's attention and if artists come and use Saltaire and draw its beautiful but gritty streets, it could become the Montmartre of the north.

"If it develops the right ambience and becomes known as a place where serious drawing goes on, the village might develop a similar but different image and ethos.

"Paris, London and New York are seen as cultural centres but it's a mistake to stereotype places. Why shouldn't a mill village in the West Riding be known as a cultural centre?

"Tourists come to visit Saltaire from all over the world - it's a beautifully designed village and ready-made facility to draw - and if we had enough people who were interested in and committed to drawing we might even develop some drawing holidays that would challenge and push them.''

The 'Saltaire days' are being run roughly once a month and anyone interested in going along should call Mr Atree on 01274 595446.

How Saltaire and Paris match up

Salts Mill is now home to many of Bradford artist David Hockney's creations while the Orsay station in Paris has been transformed into the Musee D'Orsay.

Paris has scores of other art galleries, including the Louvre, while Saltaire also features the Treacle Tubs gallery and Alan's Gallery and Books as well as the Titus Gallery and Victoria Centre.

One of the most popular landmarks singled out by street artists in Montmartre is the nearby Sacre-Coeur church. Painters and sketchers in Saltaire can turn their attention to the famous Saltaire United Reformed Church.

The Moulin Rouge club in Montmartre is the centre of Paris's thriving cabaret scene while Saltaire's entertainment scene includes the Fnrr Fnrr Comedy Club at Fanny's Ale and Cider House and the new Widder Folk Club based at the Victoria Hotel.

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