Bradford's £24.5m lottery bid for a stunning Park at the Heart of the city will be given a send-off party in Centenary Square on Thursday - timed around the Queen's visit.

So far, more than 18,000 people have backed the bid - a massive leap from 7,000 a week ago - and this will be residents last chance to show their support for the scheme before it is submitted to the Big Lottery Fund on May 31.

Bradford designer Linda Barker will be hosting the event which starts at 10am, talking through the stunning plans for the park and introducing other guests.

She said: "Bradford's bid for lottery funding for the Park at the Heart certainly has my support. The park will be a fantastic space for everyone to use and enjoy any time of day, any time of year.

"Bradford is a city set to thrive again and the park will play a key role in this. The final designs for the park incorporate the ideas put forward by local people and the results are something really special. It is great that the people who will be using the park have been able to shape their environment in this way.

"The bid will be submitted to the lottery at the end of May and it is really important that everyone comes forward to back the bid and show their support."

The scheme, which will cost £30m, includes a flexible mirror pool, an events space, quiet areas, play spaces and water courses.

It is vying for lottery funding as part of the Living Landmarks grants programme and is competing with 22 other schemes across the country. An announcement is expected in October.

Councillor Andrew Mallinson, the Council's executive member for regeneration, said: "The scheme has received overwhelming support from local people and this enthusiasm and commitment will strengthen the bid for lottery funding.

"The send-off event will be a great opportunity for us to thank the people of Bradford and to celebrate all the work that has gone into the park designs."

The morning will be full of events including performances by the Black Dyke Band, the West Yorkshire Fire Service band and Bradford Schools Choir.

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, who will be touring Bradford on Thursday, will also visit Centenary Square and will be shown the final plans for the park.

The Royal party will be told of the contribution made by people of the district to shape the final park designs, among a speech on the city's wider £2 billion regeneration plans.

Earlier in the day the Queen will visit the new Hindu temple in Leeds Road, Bradford, and officially open the new Bradford South police headquarters, Trafalgar House, in Nelson Street, before attending Centenary Square and later visiting Huddersfield.