Two Territorial Army bases in the Bradford district are among some 38 military reserve bases to close across the country as part of reforms to expand the Army Reserve, the Defence Secretary has announced.

Belle Vue Barracks in Manningham, Bradford, and the TA centre in Lawkholme Lane, Keighley, will shut as part of a package of changes unveiled by Philip Hammond today aimed at increasing the number of reservists in the Army under the Future Force 2020 reforms.

The plans envisage a trained Army of 112,000, comprising 82,000 regulars, 30,000 reservists, and 8,000 further reservists in training.

Announcing the basing changes, Mr Hammond told MPs: "The number of Army Reserve bases will reduce from the current total of 334 to 308, a net reduction of 26 sites."

The Defence Secretary said "a significant number" of small and under-recruited bases would be retained, which the Army believes could be viable with strong recruiting. Some of the bases will not close outright but become home to other units, such as cadets.