Sooty: Former Shipley TV puppet museum to become flats

Sooty has appeared in numerous shows for both the BBC and ITV

A former Bradford tourist attraction celebrating children's TV star Sooty is to be converted into flats.

Windhill Manor in Shipley became Sooty's Wonderful World in 1987, a museum dedicated to the popular puppet.

The Grade II-listed former school on Leeds Road, Windhill, featured props from the show and screens where people could watch old episodes.

An application to turn the building into 21 flats has been approved by Bradford Council.

Windhill Manor in Shipley, a former Victorian school, housed Sooty's Wonderful World before it was used for office space

The plans, by Monsoon Developments, also include 33 parking spaces and an additional home in the former on-site school master's house.

Sooty was created by Bradford-born Harry Corbett, nephew of chip shop giant Harry Ramsden, in 1948, after he bought the puppet from a stall in Blackpool for his son Matthew.

The puppet went on to star in numerous TV shows, alongside friends Sweep and Soo.

The bear's madcap antics saw Matthew Corbett end most shows with a good soaking

The building, which dates back to 1870, was later converted into office space, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Planning officers said: "It is considered that the submitted information is sufficient to demonstrate that the site is no longer suitable for business use and the alternative residential is acceptable in principle.

"The site occupies a sustainable location within an existing urban area where there is good quality access to public transport links, amenities and services."