A Council road safety chief was due in court today, charged with drink-driving.

Councillor Adrian Longthorn immediately resigned from his position as chairman of the Bradford Council's Highways Sub-committee after he was arrested by police following a breathalyser test last Wednesday night.

The sub-committee he headed deals with road safety, including the district's casualty reduction schemes - and Coun Longthorn was the Council's road safety spokesman until last May.

It is understood the 43-year-old Labour ward councillor for Wyke was stopped by police and breathalysed after leaving the Fountain Inn in Heaton Road, Heaton, Bradford.

The Labour group's deputy chief whip, Councillor Tony Niland (Wyke) - said: "He did what any civilised person would do in the circumstances and resigned immediately. He contacted me and told me about the problem the following morning."

Council leader Councillor Ian Greenwood said: "Clearly I would not want to make any definitive statement before the court case.

"But under no circumstances would we agree with drinking and driving. For many years this Council has supported Government initiatives to stop this."

Coun Longthorn, of Westminster Gardens, Clayton, Bradford, served as a Thornton ward councillor for four years before switching to Wyke and winning his seat last May.

He is a field service technician for an engineering company and is married with two children.

He could not be contacted to comment today but a close Council colleague said he had been under huge strain in recent weeks. The colleague, who did not wish to be named, said: "He has been under considerable personal stress. It has been largely connected with the Council and Labour group affairs."

He said Coun Longthorn had immediately resigned as sub-committee chairman to minimise embarrassment to his family, the Council and the Labour group.

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