THE Bradford Police Museum reopens tomorrow with a new line up of special events and exhibitions planned for the coming year.

The museum, located in Bradford City Hall, first opened last August and had more than 1,500 visitors before closing for a short winter break.

Retired Bradford police inspector Martin Baines spent more than a year raising funds and sourcing exhibits for the museum, which is housed in the former central police station. It features the development of crime and punishment in Bradford from the early part of the 19th century, with details of major crimes. It included Victorian truncheons and uniforms and a unique photographic archive.

Special events and exhibitions are lined up for the coming year on topics such as the history of Bradford hangmen, murders in Bradford, historic police vehicles and international policing.

Walking tours and court re enactments are also planned.

The museum will be open every Friday, between 11am and 3pm, and Saturday, between noon and 4pm, for the rest of the year until the end of November. The museum will also be available for organised group tours.

Mr Baines, who is the museum's director, said: " The museum has been a tremendous success since we opened last year and we are very much looking forward to 2015. It is a real tribute to the hard work of all our volunteers.

"Throughout the year we hope to tell some amazing stories about Bradford's past and look forward to making the museum available once again for the public and the people of Bradford to come and visit."

Visits to the museum include guided tours of the original Victorian cells and court built in 1873 which formed part of the original police station.

Visitors can stand in the police cell that the famous escapologist Harry Houdini escaped from in the early years of the 20th century, and then climb the dock steps to the Victorian courtroom used for filming by TV and film productions, including Coronation Street.

The gallery displays Victorian police truncheons, uniforms, swords, weapons, memorabilia, crime scene exhibits and unique photographs covering 150 years of policing in the city.

Much of the collection has never been seen by the public before.