A taxi firm has come to the rescue of children who nearly missed a special party because of lack of transport.

The 40 members of the Odsal Holiday Play Scheme, aged five to 15, were looking forward to attending the National Playday 2000 party in Baildon yesterday.

But on Friday the scheme's organisers at Odsal Community Centre discovered they did not have the correct licences to use the minibus they were planning to borrow from the Salvation Army.

They were all set to cancel the trip when A1 Taxis heard about their plight and stepped in. The Odsal Road-based firm offered a 17-seat minibus free of charge. And yesterday it took two loads of happy children and relieved organisers to Baildon for their day out.

A1 Taxis proprietor Fazal Ali said: "We offered because it was a local community centre and it was for the sake of the children. We always try to help children and old people whenever we can."

Odsal Community Centre manager Malcolm Walters said the play scheme had considered hiring a bus but was too short of money.

"We were just about to cancel when they came up and saved the day," he said. "They are a first class firm. It just shows they have got a commitment to the community and that they have got a heart as well as a business brain."

The party in Baildon was part of a national series of events to draw attention to the importance of play.