EVENTS to mark World Aids Day were held around Bradford today to raise awareness about the disease.

The Mirror Pool in City Park was illuminated red and students at Bradford College formed a human red ribbon – the global symbol of solidarity for the day.

World Aids Day is dedicated to raising awareness of HIV and Aids, and mourning those who have died from the disease.

Campaigning events were also held in the city last weekend by the Red Ribbon Society to raise awareness of the disease and its treatments.

Jonathan Cookson, community development worker for sexual health organisation MESMAC in Bradford, said it was still important people were made aware of HIV and Aids.

He said: “We are raising awareness of the issue and trying to encourage testing for the disease. We want to reduce the stigma around Aids and show the benefits of early testing and how good treatments can be.

“World Aids Day is crucially important as it’s one of those days everyone gets the chance to contemplate, and also celebrate how far we have come.

“Treatment and preventative measures have come a long way, and the day further raises awareness and marks the progress we have made so far.”

However, Mr Cookson said the disease was not going away in the city.

“It is still an issue in Bradford, figures have not dropped substantially and we are getting a fair number of late diagnoses; there’s a lot of people not getting tested.”

Figures from Public Health England show the number of diagnoses in Yorkshire and the Humber rose to 336 in 2015 from 329 the previous year.

However the diagnosis rate has come down significantly since its peak of 497 in 2005.

The death rate from HIV/Aids has also dropped to 29 in 2015 from 38 the year before.

More than 4,600 people in Yorkshire received HIV medical care in 2015, up by more than 200 from 2014, with 95 per cent receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART), up five per cent from 2014. ART slows the rate at which HIV can multiply in the human body.

At Bradford College, a human red ribbon was organised by students studying for Social Work degrees at the College’s University Centre.

A spokesman for the College said: “World AIDS Day is about challenging stereotypes and the stigma around HIV. The human ribbon is a simple visual message that Bradford College is committed to helping raise funds, raise awareness, fight prejudice and improve education around HIV.”