An act of kindness in the wake of a brutal killing is helping to nurture a civic relationship between tragic Baildon church pastor Michael Pollard's home town and the area where he died.

The Lord Mayor of Bradford, Councillor Tony Miller, is to send an official letter to his counterpart in the Hungarian town of Nyirbator, thanking him for his sensitivity, kindness and hard work during the recent return to Hungary of Mr Pollard's widow Jo.

During her visit - made earlier this month to coincide with the first anniversary of her 62-year-old husband's death -- Mrs Pollard visited a memorial set up by local people near the lay-by where the couple were attacked by robbers. She even met two of his three young killers, whom she has forgiven, in prison.

The mum-of-three was also reunited with staff at the hospital where she was treated for her injuries, talked to the police chief who helped bring the killers to justice, visited a children's home and met with the parents of one of the killers.

Mrs Pollard's busy schedule was painstakingly organised by Ferenc Petroczki, the mayor of Nyirbator - a town close to the place where the pastor of Baildon Green's Emmanuel Evangelical Church died while en route to Romania with a consignment of aid. Now Mrs Pollard, 56, has persuaded Councillor Miller to seal her gratitude by sending the big-hearted Hungarian mayor Bradford's civic thanks.

Mrs Pollard said: "I think it's a wonderful gesture from the Lord Mayor because Ferenc did such a brilliant job organising the whole itinerary for me.

"He's already got my own personal thanks but he didn't have to do everything he did and I thought it ought to be acknowledged by Bradford itself.''

Councillor Miller, who has been presented with an embroidered cloth bag bearing the Nyirbator crest, said: "Like so many other people, it's obviously a story I've been following very closely in the Telegraph & Argus since last summer.

"Jo's a remarkable woman and I've been full of admiration and respect for how brave she's been, her deep religious convictions and the way she's handled such a terrible personal tragedy.

"She was absolutely overwhelmed with the generosity and warmth she received from the mayor of Nyirbator."

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