Bradford has been named as one of only a handful of cities outside of the south east of England set to deliver economic growth in the next few years.

Economic forecast group Experian said that Bradford was one of only two or three cities in the north of the country set to report an improved economy.

The report said that it expects the north-south divide to widen in the coming months as London's financial services sector strengthens and manufacturing and industrial heartlands begin to shrink.

However, the report's author, Andrew Burrell, an associate director at Experian, said a shift in Bradford's focus towards service industries and financial services had left it in good stead.

Mr Burrell said: "We were surprised by the figures. Bradford has done OK in the past and it has been particularly successful in moving away from its traditional industries."

Other cities outside the south east which are expected to perform well are Leeds, Northampton, Cardiff, Nottingham, Newport and Edinburgh.