A Bradford artist has turned 12 paintings of his favourite pubs into a calendar for the Millennium.

For 15 years Michael Spence, 52, has painted watercolours of his best-loved locals near his home in Hainsworth Moor Drive, Queensbury,

After finishing each picture Mr Spence put the intricately detailed artwork in a folder where they remained hidden from the outside world.

But when the textile designer was made redundant in February this year, after 35 years' service, he set about fulfilling his ambition to make a Millennium calendar for Queens-bury.

The father-of-two said: "I had the idea for the calendar a couple of years ago but never got round to it. Then I decided this year had to be the year so I set the Millennium as a deadline to make sure I actually put things into action."

Mr Spence, who started painting at the age of 16, got in touch with a friend in the printing business and a run of 50 calendars were duly printed off.

He said: "Some of the pubs in the calendar look quite a bit different to their appearance now because they date back almost 15 years.

"My first painting was of my favourite pub, The Omnibus, in 1985 but I decided to go to the bottom of the Bradford to Queensbury road and then worked my way up through the village for the rest of the public houses."

The calendar pubs are: The Royal Oak, The Omnibus, The New Dolphin, The Waggoners, The West End, The Ring O'Bells, The High Street, The George III, The Wheatsheaf Hotel, The Stag's Head, The Halfway House and the Pineberry.

Calendars priced £4.50 are on sale in the Picture This bespoke picture framers in Albert Road, Queensbury, and Taylor Sheard haberdashers in Queensbury High Street or you can telephone Michael Spence on (01274) 882570.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.