The population of the Bradford district is expected to stay mostly white for the "foreseeable future", according to a team of university researchers.

A new study by the School of Social Sciences, at The University of Manchester, says Leicester is to become Britain's first plural city in about 12 years - where no ethnic group will form a majority.

The study says Birmingham is expected to reach plurality about five years later in 2024.

Professor Ludi Simpson, who led the research team, said the results reflected worldwide trends of increasing ethnic diversity.

He said the study also corrected "unsubstantiated claims" attributed to the Commission of Racial Equality, which indicated that Leicester would become a plural city by 2011, with Bradford, Birmingham and Oldham to follow by 2016.

The study points out that, at the time the claim was published last year, councils in Bradford and Oldham had produced forecasts showing majority white populations within the foreseeable future beyond 2031.

Prof Simpson is due to present his review to the British Society for Population Studies at its annual conference in St Andrews, Scotland, today.

He said: "Our findings correct those officials at the Commission for Racial Equality who have made unsubstantiated claims and ignored Government statistics. Through eagerness to make political points about diversity, commentators have often exaggerated or passed over the facts and claimed plural cities by 2010.

"Britain's growing diversity is clear and measurable but it is not as focused on a few cities as many people imagine."