Photographs of Bradford's industrial heritage, including mills and sewage works, are set to go under the spotlight - in Finland.

Critically acclaimed photographer Ian Beesley, pictured, will be opening an exhibition in the country where interest in Bradford's bygone days is high.

Bradford-born Ian, 48, said: "It is a bit strange really. I had an exhibition at the National Coalmining Museum last year and I was approached by a Finnish journalist who had seen the exhibition and asked me if she could interview me.

"I agreed and ended up being an eight-page feature in a Finnish photography magazine. It was a lovely article. They really seemed to care about industry."

As a result of the article he was contacted by the National Museum of Labour History in Finland to hold an exhibition which will tour across the country.

The display, entitled A Place of Work, includes photographs from the Industrial North of England.

Ian, who grew up in Eccleshill, has recorded mines before their closure as well as the last days of industrial steam locomotives at Esholt Sewage Works in Bradford.

"These photos taken at Esholt Sewage Works are one part of the exhibition. I also started my career there and they are some of the first photographs that I took when I first decided I wanted to be a photographer," said Ian, who has also photographed Bradford City and the Bradford Bulls.

The textile, iron and steel industries are also represented in the exhibition. There are pictures of Lister's Mill and Salts Mill.

The show's tour starts this month in the southern city of Tampere, at the Central Museum of Labour in Finland. It will be on display until April. From mid-May to mid-June it will be seen in Outokumpu in the Old Mine.

There will also be an exhibition in Porvoo, near the capital Helsinki.

Ian plans to fly out to Finland.

"They seem to be very interested in the photographs, which I find surprising. They have also asked me to go over and give a talk," he said.

At the end of January he is also due to re-visit Belarus where he is involved in a project to rebuild an orphanage.

Timo Valjakka, director of the Finnish Institute in London, which promotes the country's culture around the world, said the exhibition could boost visitors to Bradford.

"The Finnish see the industrial era with romantic eyes. Because Finland has only wood-related industry, anything like this would be seen as very interesting. Any buildings from the industrial period are very much valued."

He said that many visitors from Finland often came to London.

"People in Finland have heard of Bradford but probably through the exhibition they would want to find out more about the city and visit there too."