A plan to move more than 1,000 graves from one of Bradford's oldest graveyards has sparked fears that hundreds of years of history will

be lost.

Great Horton Methodist Church plans to remove human remains, tombstones and monuments from the burial ground to the rear of the church to make way for a residential development.

The remains will be re-interred in an area within the existing burial ground or church grounds that will be designated as a garden of remembrance but the tombstones and monuments will be disposed of.

Bradford genealogist Dennis Naylor said hundreds of years of history could be lost if the plan goes ahead.

"People rely on graveyards being preserved to enable them to trace their family history. That resource would be lost if this plan goes ahead," he said.

"Great Horton is one of the oldest graveyards in Bradford and 1,000 graves is a lot of history to destroy in one fell swoop."

He said some of the graves date back to 1810.

"I used to live behind the graveyard as a child so I know it well," said Mr Naylor.

"I think the last burial there could only have been 25 years ago. There are bound to be surviving relatives who may be distressed by the plans."

Mr Naylor said the timing of the announcement, which asks for objections before a deadline of January 20, was also questionable.

"The church published the notice in the Telegraph & Argus over the Christmas period when people are occupied by other matters," he said. "December 30 to January 20 just doesn't give people long enough."

Anyone wanting to object to the proposals is asked to write to the minister, Reverend Paul Flowers, at 14 Hollingwood Drive, Bradford, BD7 4DH by the deadline.

Anyone wanting more information on the graves affected is asked to call (01274) 571341 or (01274) 572911.

Carol Greenwood, senior information officer at Bradford Central Library, said the register of who

is buried at the graveyard has been deposited with the Bradford archive office.

"This tells us who has been buried there but the gravestones and monuments give much more information," she said.

Negotiations to sell the land to a large housing developer are ongoing. If successful the land could be developed into housing for the elderly.

No one from the church was available to comment on the proposal. Rev Flowers, who also serves as a Labour councillor for the Great Horton Ward, is on holiday in South Africa until January 15.

The T&A reported last month on plans to relocate Bradford's internationally-renowned Interfaith Education Centre and Great Horton Library to the church site.

The move is being considered by the council's executive committee.

If plans go ahead the complex,

provisionally labelled the Great Horton Centre, will be renovated and extended.

The Reverend Geoff Reid, team leader at the Methodist Touchstone Centre and a partner in the proposed re-development of the church said of the graveyard plans: "I am confident the church is going by the book after following advice from authorities in Manchester."