PARISH councillors are fighting a bid to demolish their area's distinctive bus shelters.

Travel bosses want to take over responsibility for the solid stone structures and replace them with standard metal shelters.

But Holme Valley Parish Council has vowed to oppose the move.

Parish council chairman Andrew Otterburn said it was feared the area would lose its rural feel if the shelters went.

He said: "It is difficult to be precise what contributes to the character of an area.

"But over the years this council has taken the view that it could help retain that character by building bus shelters appropriate to this area, rather than allow the standard shelters seen elsewhere in West Yorkshire."

Metro had offered to take over responsibility for most of the bus shelters in the Holme Valley and over a relatively short period replace them with red and cream shelters.

They are considered to be safer than existing stone shelters as they are more open and lit.

Some of the shelters would have been used for commercial adverts.

The parish council is asking Metro if it will pay for improvements to the stone shelters.

Mr Otterburn said: "We are keen to open a dialogue to work in partnership with Metro.

"I am hopeful we can agree a partnership arrangement whereby we retain control of at least the stone shelters and that Metro help fund their upgrade, in particular the installation of lighting."