WREATHS laid at a Worth Valley war memorial were removed and left dumped in a pile behind railings by council workers, according to a parish councillor.

Alan Watts, of Haworth, Cross Roads and Stanbury Parish Council, said he was “disgusted” by the way Bradford Council workers had treated the wreaths after they were called in to clean the memorial, in Bridgehouse Lane.

He added: “I think this is disgusting and disrespectful.

“I was going to Keighley on the bus on October 13 and went past the war memorial. I always take a look at it when I go by just to make sure everything is alright.

“That day I noticed all the wreaths had been taken off and thrown over the railings behind the memorial. At first I thought vandals had been there, but later I found out that Bradford Council had actually been cleaning the cenotaph.

“They had ripped off all the wreaths and the wire that attached them to the cenotaph and chucked them over the railings. They left them lying there without contacting either myself – the parish council liaison officer for the war memorial – or anyone else at the parish council itself, I went down and put the wreaths back in place myself.”

The Keighley News contacted Bradford Council for a comment, but no response had been received by the time the paper went to press.

But Councillor Watts said he had been contacted by the council’s parks and landscapes department, which apologised for not putting the wreaths back following the cleaning.

He added: “I can’t understand why they didn’t just put the wreaths back.

“I know we’re getting closer to remembrance day when all the poppies are taken away before the new ones are laid, but even so. It’s not very respectful to just leave them lying on the other side of the railings.

“I’ve had a phone call from Bradford Council apologising about the wreaths, and explaining its cleaning team forgot to put them back. It’s a bit ironic that they forgot when this memorial and the wreaths are supposed to be about remembrance.”

lWhat do you think? We welcome letters on this or any other subject. E-mail richard.parker@keighleynews.co.uk or write to The Editor, Keighley News, 80-86 North Street, Keighley, West Yorkshire BD21 3AG.