TV scientist Adam Hart-Davis came to Bradford to celebrate 25 years of the Colour Museum - and dressed for the part.

He wore one orange sock and one yellow one, some blue, red and yellow patchwork shoes and a multi-coloured ethnic Senegalese shirt.

He said: "At gatherings like these most men wear dark-coloured suits. That's boring. I do have a suit in two colours of red. But I thought this outfit particularly appropriate."

Mr Hart-Davis praised the museum in Providence Street, off Grattan Road, which opened in 1978, for promoting the role of colour in every-day life. He also helped youngsters sample experiments.

"Most colour is artificial or made by people," he said. "This is the headquarters of the colour world. It is such an important part of our lives but people do not think of it scientifically.

"It could have been built anywhere but it is terrific it is here in Bradford - the home of the woollen trade."

He addressed a gathering at the museum before unveiling a plaque to mark its silver anniversary. He also opened the museum's colour technology and colour communication exhibition.

Mr Hart-Davis spent 17 years in Leeds where he started his television career as a researcher for Yorkshire TV, where he worked alongside wacky Magnus Pike. He loves the Karachi curry house and, although based in Bristol, regards Bradford as a "home."

"I think of it as home, in a way. I keep up to date with news in Bradford. I hear they are planning to flood the City Hall area. That is an amazing thought."

He has another TV series called What the Ancients Did For Us in the pipeline, together with a new radio series called Eureka.

"I am very privileged. How many people get paid to drop an apple from the Leaning Tower of Pisa?