Keighley Mayor Coun Sally Walker visited the weekly gathering of networking group BNI Airedale Aspire.

Coun Walker and husband Martin mingled with business people at the 6.30am Keighley Central Hall meet.

During the event, it was announced more than 160,000 BNI members worldwide had received a £3.9 billion boost in referred business during the past 12 months.

The average member in West Yorkshire currently receives an estimated £43,000 of business per year.

Coun Walker said: “I was impressed to see a group of local business people working hard to support each other in such a structured yet friendly way.

"This weekly meeting of BNI is an excellent example of what can be achieved when everyone is committed to pull in a single direction.”

BNI members refer business to each other.

Barrister Paul Brook, the local group director, said that when people became a member of BNI, they were joining more than just a networking organisation.

He added: “It is a system that when used daily, produces remarkable results. We are changing the way the world does business.”