One of Bradford's top politicians has called for a investigation into the decision to close Bradford's Remploy factory.

Bosses at the company, which specialises in employing people with disabilities, decided to axe the Bowling Back Lane site last week, leaving the future of more than 30 workers uncertain.

Councillor Jeanette Sunderland, leader of the Liberal Democrat group in Bradford, has written to Bradford Council's chief executive, Tony Reeves, to ask him to convene an investigation into the decision.

Mrs Sunderland said: "Remploy provide invaluable paid employment for those people who find it impossible to gain employment.

"The factory in Bradford is a successful business running amongst its many activities a huge, complex repackaging and recycling service.

"I want the Council to consider the impact of such a devastating announcement."

The announcement follows a report by the auditors which said the service could be run on a much more cost-effective basis. The report recommends the closure of a number of factories across the UK, including the Bradford site.

Although no compulsorily redundancies will be made in Bradford, all employees who want to keep their present terms and conditions will have to find work with another employer.

Employees not wishing to find work elsewhere have the option of either taking voluntary redundancy or retiring with an early with a voluntary redundancy payment.

A Remploy statement claimed the Bradford business was losing more than £600,000 a year.