Adult learners have slammed Bradford College's decision to slash 70 jobs and pull out of 22 community learning centres as "bad management".

Earlier this week, the college announced it had been forced to make cuts after the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) announced £1 million would be diverted away from "learning for leisure" courses to fund vocational and basic skills study.

This figure came on top of £2.2 million already removed from adult learning provision this year, the institution claimed.

College bosses announced 67 part-time and two full-time tutors would lose their jobs as well as 12 other academic and support staff from September.

Adult learners and a lecturer hit out at the decision after "leisure-type" courses at the college's Bolton Royd Adult Education Centre on Manningham Lane were among those axed.

Part-time courses in painting, drawing and ceramics are among those which will cease to run at the centre from July. Part-time ceramics tutor Martin Bond, 48, of Heaton, an employee of the college, said: "I am sure provision will come back in five years time but by then the damage will have been done.

"This is all about short-term political gain."

Ceramics student Stephen Laycock, 59, said he had participated in adult learning courses run by the college for the last ten years.

"Coming here has given me a second lease of life," he said.

"It has been wonderful to express myself through sculpture. The problem with this country is that the arts have never received much attention."

Fellow ceramics student Cassandra Allen, 62, of Wyke, said: "I am devastated. This all smacks of short-term thinking. It is bad management and certainly does not take into account what retired people want. A big part of my life will disappear."

Retired cricket groundsman Barry Langroyd-Hanson, 68, of Undercliffe, who attends a part-time painting course at Bolton Royd added: "I am very disappointed. I have just held a very successful one-man exhibition which provided great solace after the death of my wife."

Kevin McGuinness, chairman of Bradford College Corporation Governing Body said the institution was "deeply disappointed" that it had to change courses.

Bolton Royd students have been invited to an "information sharing session" on Friday, led by college staff, to inform them of the changes.

A college spokesman added leisure-type courses could continue if participants paid a rate of £4 per hour. Although the institution will pull out of 22 community centres, none will close.