Bizarre Bradford: Rodney Marsh's head shave to Ethel the snake

Here is just a selection of the weird and the wonderful:

Cllr Geoff Reid was outraged by reports of giant rats in Ravenscliffe in 2010

Super Rats - August 2010

Claims that giant rats were plaguing Ravenscliffe were rubbished by community leaders.

A report alleging monster two-and-a-half-foot rats had been seen was published by national tabloid The Sun.

The newspaper printed a blurred photo of what it said was a giant rat which was taken outside an unidentifiable house.

It said the creature had been found behind a wall on the estate and shot by cleaning firm manager Brandon Goddard, of Wakefield, before being dumped in undergrowth and possibly eaten by a fox.

But Councillor Geoff Reid (Lib Dem, Eccleshill) said: “It’s too easy for the national media to slag off Bradford and we have been struggling for years with that.

“Rats, because of the diseases that go with them, are taken very seriously. If there really was something of that size around here it needs investigating but I think it’s possible they could have made a mistake. I need persuading of the veracity of this story.

“I would like The Sun to substantiate this story and, if they can’t, I want an apology.”

Rodney Marsh v Bradford - August 2000

Bradford City's arch critic Rodney Marsh urged people to raise as much money as possible through his charity head shave.

The former England star had his golden locks shorn on the Valley Parade pitch before Bradford City's match against Leicester City in August 2000 as a penance for wrongly predicting that the Bantams would be relegated the previous season.

The then Sky TV pundit, who still believed the Bantams would be relegated after that season, urged people to follow his lead and back the Baldly Go With Rodney campaign which is raised funds for Bradford's Plastic Surgery and Burns Unit.

"The burns unit is a terrific cause," said Marsh, who was challenged to have his head shaved by the Telegraph & Argus if Bradford stayed in the Premiership.

"I hope people will really support this. I promised to have my head shaved if City stayed up and I'm a man of my word.

"I was determined to raise money through it so when City suggested the burns unit I was delighted."

Ethel the snake spotted in Roberts Park, Saltaire, in 2018

Ethel the snake - July 2018

A huge snake that gained local fame after it was spotted slithering through a popular park has a “lovely persona” and shows “no signs of aggression,” its owner has revealed.

Former snake breeder Bilal Israil also revealed that the 15ft long Reticulated Python has the less than intimidating name of Ethel.

Mr Israil, of Riddlesden, spoke about the snake being seen in Roberts Park, Saltaire, created curiosity among many.

Mr Israil said that people should give snakes a chance, even if their initial reaction is one of shock.

Photographs showing the snake, covered in yellow spots, stretched out across a grassy area in the park were shared on social media.

'UFO' sighting - November 2019

Is it a plane, a drone, a comet... or could this be an alien craft in the skies above Bradford?

Juran Harrison, who took video footage on Tong Road at 4.36pm on November 26 last year, is keeping an open mind - but didn't hesitate it to call it a "possible UFO sighting".

The footage, taken from a car, shows a bright red glowing object moving across the sky above the roofline.

Dinosaur detained - May 2020

Police have finally detained one of Bradford’s most wanted – Dorothy the inflatable dinosaur.

The dastardly T-Rex had been roaming around the district, including in Thackley, around April and May this year, but officers were delighted to solve what they dubbed a very cold case.

Dorothy had proved to be elusive for a very long time, having been on the run for 66 million years.

The Steerside Enforcement Team’s tweeted their capture of Dorothy, complete with a picture of the T-Rex in the back of a police van.