Council chiefs have been forced into a humiliating U-turn over the flying of the Union flag at half-mast on City Hall.

They initially refused to make the mark of respect today to people who have died in industrial accidents.

Supporters of the Inter- national Workers Memorial Day were stunned when the authority said it was too much of a health and safety risk for an employee to lower the roof-top flag.

The decision was described as "outrageous" and "diabolical" by backers of the memorial day who include MPs and trades unionists.

Council chief executive Tony Reeves has now had to apologise admitting "the health and safety issue had been overstated".

The original decision was disclosed in a letter sent to Bradford MPs Gerry Sutcliffe and Terry Rooney in which Council officials stated that: "Flags should be lowered to half mast only on the death of a Freeman of the City, Lord Mayor or Lady Mayoress, serving member of the Council, ex-Lord Mayor or ex-Lady Mayoress of CBMDC, local Member of Parliament or for a national day of mourning."

It continued: "It should be noted that the practice of flying flags from City Hall was revised two years ago to minimise the number of times flags have to be raised and lowered from the roof.

"One of the chief reasons for doing this was concerns for the health and safety of staff who have to carry out the operation, working at height and in sometimes difficult weather conditions."

Bradford North Labour MP Terry Rooney said he had been outraged by the Council's initial decision.

He said: "I am glad they have come to their senses, one should always welcome a sinner who repents.

"Hundreds and thousands of workers have lost their lives in the workplace around Bradford and it is only right this be acknowledged. I'm sure the families of those who died will welcome the decision."

Unison, which represents a large number of Council employees, was also scathing about the original stance.

Its regional officer Steve Torrance said: "It was diabolical that Bradford Council would not at first recognise workers who have been killed, injured or made ill by their work by simply affording them the same recognition they show to Councillors, Lord Mayors and other dignitaries on their death."

Jane Howie, of Bradford Area Safety Reps Association, said it was a nonsense to claim there was a health and safety issue about lowering the roof-top flag.

She said: "One of the chief reasons given for not lowering the flag is concerns for the health and safety of staff who have to carry out the operation, working at height and in sometimes difficult weather conditions yet the flags are lowered for the death of important' people - like a Freeman of the City.

"Lowering the flag is either dangerous or not dangerous and if it is dangerous they should not have to do it for anybody.

Apologising at the weekend for the original decision, Council chief executive Mr Reeves said: "The health and safety issues around lowering the flag on City Hall for Workers' Memorial Day have been overstated. I apologise for this and the flag will be at half mast on Monday, April 28."

Salman Mather, the Council's director of democratic services, added: "We do restrict the number of times the flags fly at half-mast because they have to be physically lowered by someone going on to the roof of City Hall which means they are working at height and sometimes also exposed to difficult weather conditions.

"We try to reduce risk to health and safety by limiting the number of occasions on which flags have to be raised and lowered."