One of Bradford's biggest sports clubs has been severely hit by this week's floods.

Bradford & Bingley Sports Club at Wagon Lane will be closed until Christmas after suffering thousands of pounds worth of damage when the River Aire burst its banks.

More than 20 functions have had to be cancelled or re-arranged elsewhere, costing the club vital revenue.

General Manager Cliff Dennis said: "The water came into the kitchen, office and main function room. It also affected the rugby dressing rooms, the cricket scorebox and the indoor cricket nets.

"At one stage there were five inches of water inside the main function room and yet this part of the club was built between one and three feet above the highest flood level point.

"We hope to have the club open for members on a limited basis as soon as possible, but that will be three or four weeks.

"The damage is throughout the club and we will have to redecorate and replace carpets and stock."

The clubhouse is the base for North Division One rugby team the Bees and Bradford & Bingley Cricket Club as well as being well used by a number of other sporting organisations.

Hundreds of people will be affected by the decision, but Dennis said: "We have had no alternative.

"We would like to apologise to all those who had events planned, but we have had little choice in the matter.

"I have been on the phone to various places trying to re-arrange functions for the people or organisations concerned.

"We are re-funding money where people have paid deposits or in full.

"We have a wide range of functions at the club, including evening wedding parties, 21st birthdays, christening parties, dinners, charity lunch time functions and, of course, in the next few weeks, Christmas parties.

"We had 120 people coming to our own cricket club dinner next Wednesday and Bingley Congs CC also had a dinner the following night."

The club which has three rugby pitches and a cricket pitch was flooded when the nearby River Aire burst its banks.

"Earlier in the week, the water was so deep on the rugby and cricket pitches that you could have swum from one end to the other," said Dennis.

"It is demoralising to see it, but there are a lot of people who have had to leave their home who are in a worse situation."

If anyone wants any more information they can contact Dennis on 01274-775441.