The Telegraph & Argus today launches a campaign to save Bradford's historic vintage bus collection from being lost to the city forever.

The collection of 17 buses - one of the best in Europe - is under threat after the closure of the beleaguered Transperience Discovery Park which has debts of £1 million.

Administrators Coopers & Lybrand warned it would sell the vehicles if that was the only way of balancing the books.

Now the Telegraph & Argus is launching a campaign to save the buses which include the last trolley bus to be used in the country which is of national importance and worth at least £20,000.

Bradford became the first city in the country to run trolley buses when it introduced a service to Leeds in 1911.

The collection made up of trams, motor buses and trolley buses also includes a £25,000 miniature light railway, a 1936 Bristol Fox's old bus . There are 17 vehicles on site with a combined age of 552 years.

The campaign has already won support from Keighley Labour MP Ann Cryer and Bradford South Labour MP Gerry Sutcliffe who fear the buses could be sold and scrapped or taken abroad.

Mr Sutcliffe branded any possible sale as "scandalous."

"I recognise there is a problem regarding commercial responsibilities for Coopers & Lybrand.

"But it needs to find another way of dealing with it. If this is the case I will be contacting the Heritage Secretary Chris Smith," he said.

Mrs Cryer has already highlighted the plight of the museum in the House of Commons.

She said: "It was of great concern and sadness that the collection of vehicle buses and trolley buses are in danger of being disposed of to the highest bidder."

She said the administrators were fully aware that the vehicles were given in good faith by Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees and Leeds Councils.

Campaigner Graham Mitchell who has been involved in transport protection for more than 30 years is furious that the collection could be sold.

He estimates the buses sold as scrap would be worth between £5, 000 and £6,000 and the last trolley worth at least £20,000.

"These vehicles were bought with public money, before they were transferred to Metro in 1974. So they belong to us," he said.

Mr Mitchell said when the collection was given to Transperience, he believed it was on the understanding that the public would have access to it.

He is worried that the vehicles could go under the hammer and be sold in Europe and North America, where there is a demand for tourist buses.

"The horror of it all would be that we are losing part of our heritage. One of the items is of national importance as it is the last trolley bus to be used in Bradford and the country" he said.

West Yorkshire Transport Museum Society committee member Jim Pickles said he would be 'very very upset,' if the vintage collection was sold for scrap or sold off.

He has been involved in bus preservation for 15 years and said it was important the vehicles remained in Bradford of West Yorkshire.

"All these vehicles have local connections and are of great sentiment.

"If they do not remain here, they could be sold for scrap or the top of the buses are cut off and used as tourist buses in the south-east or abroad," he said.

Chairman of the West Yorkshire Transport Museum Trust David Sheard said the vehicles were an important part of Yorkshire heritage.

He fears the biggest problem will be trying to re-house the collection.

"It is imperative that the collection stays in it this environment not just left to rot in another museum," said Mr Sheard.

Coopers and Lybrand business recovery and insolvency department manager Owen Claxton said decisions would have to be taken to claw back any money owed.

Mr Claxton said there have been several offers and proposals for the site and he hoped to announce its future next month.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.