The district's textile industry is set to get a boost with the launch of a new million pound initiative.

Regeneration agency Yorkshire Forward and the Regional Innovation Strategy Board for Textiles and Clothing have teamed up to launch the scheme - Textiles Forward.

The initiative aims to "arrest the decline in the region's textiles and clothing manufacturing industry".

More than 100 business leaders are expected to attend the launch, being held tomorrow at the Huddersfield Textile Centre of Excellence.

Edward Stanners, director of Bradford-based textile firm Clissold and chairman of the Textiles Forward strategy group, said a survey of more than 800 companies had led to the group being formed.

The survey found the local textile industry had experienced nine times the national average number of business closures.

More than 50,000 people still work in the sector, which last year was worth more than £3 billion to the region.

Mr Stanners said: "Textiles Forward will help companies create tomorrow's strategic thinkers, business leaders and through the incubator unit we will be creating tomorrow's new businesses.

"We are also aiming to help a cluster of dynamic businesses to take advantage of new technological developments."

Yorkshire Forward has funded the £1 million needed to start the scheme. Textiles Forward will be based at the Confederation of British Wool Textiles (CBWT) in Roydsdale Way, Bradford, and at the Huddersfield Textile Centre of Excellence.

It is looking into launching a one-stop-shop for textiles firms to access advice, an environmental initiative which will help firms cut use of chemicals and an incubator unit to help new textile firms.