A PROJECT to mark the route of the city's hidden beck will also commemorate the 56 people who died in the Bradford City stadium fire.

Fifteen plaques will be placed in the pavement throughout the city and each will bear one line from a specially written poem.

All but one of the markers has now been sponsored, so project organisers the Friends of Bradford's Becks (FOBB) can now place orders for the Welsh blue stone needed and commission a sculptor to carve them.

Each slab carry will one line of a specially-written poem placed in the pavement at locations across the city centre and the first plaques are expected to be installed in October, around The Broadway shopping centre which will open the following month.

FOBB member Ed Butterworth said one of the plaques was currently part of a crowdfunding campaign to raise £1,450, so it could be dedicated to the memory of the 56 people who died in the Bradford City fire disaster 30 years ago.

Colin Fine, owner of the Bradford Playhouse, and FOBB member, said: "I wish to dedicate plaque number six, in Tyrrel Street, to the memory of the 56 and as I am sure that there will be many others who will want to contribute to this, I have launched a campaign to raise the £1,450 needed to buy the plaque and have it carved."

Mr Butterworth added: "We're delighted and honoured that there will be a plaque dedicated to the 56. There has been a concious effort to ensure that all the sponsors are closely associated with Bradford. It's our beck and we want to keep it that way.

"We are incredibly grateful to all our sponsors for making this dream come true and helping restore the beck to its central position in our history and consciousness."

The slabs will be placed in pavements between Thornton Road, by the Odeon building, right through to Lower Kirkgate, past The Midland Hotel.

A special bronze one will be installed in the East Mall of The Broadway shopping centre.

Sponsors include Anchor Housing, Bradford Live, British Land, Bradford Cinderella Club, Feature Radiators, Grattan, Napoleons, Rimmingtons, SafeStyle, Westfield and Yorkshire Water.

People will be encouraged to follow the route to read the full verse which was selected following a public competition. Jane Callaghan, of Wilsden, was announced the winner earlier this year.

FOBB chairman Barney Lerner said the order for the plaques had been placed and the sculptor, Holmfirth-based Pat Walls, was currently doing the design work which was the first stage.

"The two plaques that are associated with Westfield are the highest priority, so they will be done first, so they can be installed before The Broadway opens in November," he said.

"Then we will need to talk about the exact installation schedule for the remainder with Bradford Council as they are to install them."