Bradford restaurants have lost the battle to be Curry Capital of the Year after a challenge from their own branches in Leeds.

Judges of the event, sponsored by Kingfisher beer, said the fact that Leeds had entered for the first time - including branches of Bradford restaurants - meant Bradford lost votes.

Bradford came third, losing out to Birmingham and Glasgow, with Leeds coming in sixth.

The Aagrah, based in Shipley, has also opened a branch in Leeds which pitched father and son against each other.

Mohammed Aslam, who runs the Aagrah in Shipley, was up against the Aagrah in Leeds run by his son Naeem.

He said he had been proud the family had been representing both cities - even though it might have cost Bradford the title.

"It shows strength in the area and I do not regret it," he said "Although I am a Bradfordian and I am not happy with third place because we should be the winners. I firmly believe that."

He admitted he would be checking out the food in the Birmingham restaurants.

"I find it difficult to believe that Birmingham is better," he said, adding that the food there was similar to that in Bradford as it came from the same area of Pakistan - Mirpur - but he had always believed it was not as good.

"I shall go there and see what it is all about," he said.

And he pledged Bradford would be challenging as strongly as ever next year: "We shall be back; we are never far away."

To enter, each city had to put forward four restaurants. Bradford's were Kiplings at Greengates, Omar Khan's in the city centre, Nawaab in Manor Row - which also opened a Leeds branch last summer - as well as the Aagrah.

Thirteen judges made the final decision yesterday after a tight-run contest.

The judges said: "The Bradford effort was split this year by the Leeds involvement, with several restaurants with branches in both cities seemingly favouring the latter."

They said Leeds had got off to a slow start but could be among the trophies another year.

Birmingham won the title due to the growth of the Asian sector which was well-supported by its council, said the judges.