THE Lord Mayor of Bradford hosted a civic lunch to celebrate the city's record-breaking fifth year as Curry Capital of Britain.

Restaurateurs, tourism bosses and other organisations were invited to Bradford's City Hall for the celebration event yesterday, after they clinched the title once again last month.

The Lord Mayor, Councillor Joanne Dodds, told the team: "This is a truly magnificent achievement. To secure the title for the fifth consecutive year is mould-breaking and a fantastic accolade for this city."

She presented the trophy to Patricia Tillotson, tourism manager at Visit Bradford, while bosses from the four restaurants involved this year - Akbar’s at Thornbury, Aakash in Cleckheaton, Kipling’s at Greengates and Shimla Spice in Keighley - also got awards.

Mohammed Rafiq, of Kipling's, said Bradford's winning formula was the way the restaurants all worked together.

But he said he wasn't sure if they could win the title for a sixth year running.

He said: "Six years, I don't know. At five years we thought, 'Never, not in a million years', but we did it."

The judges of the Curry Capital contest had said they were looking for a city that demonstrated 'community cohesion through curry'.

This year, Bradford's bid involved getting ex-offenders involved in every aspect of curry-making, from growing the produce to cooking it in the kitchen.

The probation service and the Bradford-based Fresh Start 4U project, which helps those with an offending past to build a positive future through volunteering, both got involved in the bid.

In the summer, around five former offenders had helped to plant a 'curry garden' at Bradford's Peel Park, complete with herbs like fennel, mint and coriander that members of the public can help themselves to.

Former offenders also joined members of the probation service to help out at a teddy bears' picnic for VIPs and contest judges, held at the Great Victoria Hotel in central Bradford.

There, chefs from some of Bradford's best restaurants showed them how to create Asian dishes.

Alison Bunn, Fresh Start 4U project manager, said: "A lot of service users will never get the opportunity to step out into that sort of social event so it is really good for building their social confidence."

Miss Bunn said being involved in the Curry Capital bid had made the service users feel "part of something bigger".

"The curry garden and the Curry Capital event means they have an increased sense of place. It's about making them feel part of Bradford, a valued part of Bradford society," she added.