Keighley College principal David Gates is leaving to take up a prestigious new post running Doncaster College.

Deputy principal Chris Moore will take over temporarily at Keighley when Mr Gates departs in January.

A new permanent principal is expected to be appointed next spring in time to oversee Keighley College's move to a new site.

Mr Gates yesterday said he did not expect his departure to affect the timescale for building the new £23 million college complex.

In his three years in charge, Mr Gates, 50, has spearheaded the plans for a state-of-the-art campus in Dalton Lane.

He said he was sorry to be leaving Keighley but the invitation to Doncaster represented an unmissable personal opportunity. Doncaster College has three times as many students as Keighley College and has aspirations to become a university.

Mr Gates said: "The Keighley College board sees my appointment as recognition of the work done to transform Keighley College.

"I'm very confident in the staff of the college, led by a strong board and management team. They will continue to take the college forward."