A magistrate who resisted calls for his resignation when he controversially stood on a picket line has retired after serving 30 years on the bench.

John Durkin, pictured, said he was proud that he stuck by his convictions and joined a protest against head teacher Ray Honeyford 17 years ago.

Mr Honeyford was head teacher at Drummond Middle School, Manningham, which had 90 per cent Muslim pupils, from 1980 until he was suspended in 1985 after a vote of no-confidence.

He caused a storm after writing an article in a right-wing publication, the Salisbury Review, stating that the education of white pupils suffered in a predominantly ethnic area.

Mr Honeyford also criticised other aspects of Bradford Council's multi-racial education policies including the fact that Asian girls could wear tracksuits for gym classes.

He returned to his school in September to be greeted by picket lines of angry parents and their supporters.

Mr Durkin, of Undercliffe, Bradford, who joined the picket line on one occasion, received a letter from the courts asking him to resign after bringing his colleagues into "disrepute".

"I thought Mr Honeyford was wrong," said Mr Durkin, who worked at Associated Weavers in Bradford before becoming a union official.

"I worked with about 400 Asian people at the carpet company and I felt that I had to stand by them.

"I never received a reply from the courts, so that must have been acceptable. It is important to stand by your principles. I was really proud of being a magistrate but that should not stop you from being yourself."

Mr Durkin is a former President of the Dyers, Bleachers and Textile Workers' Union in Bradford and spent six years as the union's convenor. He is now secretary of the Retired Members' Association of the Trade and General Workers' Union.

He is married to Eunice and has three children and five grandchildren.