Bradford's crisis-hit Racial Equality Council will close after more than 20 years of work to improve race relations.

The Council's 30 members voted by a two-thirds majority to dissolve the REC at a meeting called by its interim committee.

They also agreed to appoint liquidator Ken Fortune, from Bradford accountants Horwath Clark Whitehill, to wrap up the Council's business.

The organisation came to a halt after 11 traumatic months which began when auditors swooped on the offices.

A decision to close it on February 25 was taken by interim committee members Mollie Somerville and Liquat Hussain on the advice of the trustees.

Mrs Somerville said today: "All those present at the meeting last night felt very sad and upset at the position they were faced with.

"It's been a very painful process and we are all sad that this is the only decision that we could make."

It is unclear what will happen to staff who were sent home on full pay after the council's Oak Lane offices were boarded up.

The closure of Bradford REC is the final chapter in its troubled recent history after it was hit by a series of setbacks.

The final straw came when the London-based Commission for Racial Equality announced it was withdrawing its £75,000-a-year funding because of doubt over the organisation's "viability and credibility".

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