A couple loved their local so much that they became landlord and landlady.

Nigel Matthews and Janet Grainger took on the Airedale Heifer, in Bradford Road, Sandbeds.

They had drunk in the pub for the past 13 years and wanted to return it to its former glory.

Nigel said: “It’s our local. We live just over the road.”

They have re-introduced home-cooked food to the pub’s long-established restaurant.

And they are increasingly attracting residents who used to pop into the Heifer for a drink.

The Heifer has gone through several owners over the past few decades and repeatedly been redecorated.

Nigel said: “It used to be a drinkers’ pub with a pool table but they revamped it into an eating house. It went to all frozen food but we’re doing fresh food now.

“It’s still mainly a restaurant but we’re getting a few people in for a drink. People are coming back.

“We’re getting the local trade. It’s a mixed age group, mostly middle-aged. We’re trying to put music on once a fortnight, both karaoke and live music.”

Nigel ran a pub about 20 years ago but has since worked as a plumber, and Janet has worked as a barmaid.

Nigel already has a family tie to the Heifer — his brother Philip, a lifelong landlord, ran it 28 years ago.