Four friends from Bradford are evoking memories of their youth and organising a ska and reggae music extravaganza for Yorkshire.

Rude boys David Crawford, 48, Jeff George, 50, Paul Howson, 48, and Michael Spencer, 47, have joined forces with the University of Bradford for the family-friendly event.

They hope that the Yorkshire Ska & Reggae All-Dayer will become a pivotal annual spectacular, to rival the London International Ska Festival and put Bradford on the map.

“We are hoping it could be the big one,” said Mr Crawford. “I know the bands we have can play and do their jobs.

“We have got people coming to the event from all over – Sheffield, Nuneaton, Morecambe, Glasgow, Mansfield. We are chuffed to bits that, after all these years, we can create something for Bradford.”

Mr Crawford said he and his friends first met when they were 15 and 16 and added: “We would go to the Textile Hall at the top of Westgate and they used to let us have a Friday night where we could have a Ska night.

“That burnt down so we went to Checkpoint to have nights there. There was a group of about 20 of us and some created bands of their own.”

The show is on June 28 from midday until 1am at the university’s Communal Hall. It will feature at least six live bands and eight DJs, and the line-up currently includes The Indecision, Mikey, Trench Town, The Olive Branch, The Elements, and Natural Rhythm.

“Lots of the bands are northern bands,” said Mr Crawford. “So, one, we wanted to put on a musical show highlighting bands from the north, and two, why not a northern show that is always based in Bradford.”

Advance tickets are £12 for adults, £6 for under-18s and free for under-fives, with bookings at www.facebook.com/ 1umpromo or ring 01274 965305.