A team of special security patrols has been drafted in to guard against vandalism at buildings closing under the Bradford schools shake-up.

Known as "Close Watch", the squad of private security guards, paid for by Bradford Council, will make random visits to all of the district's 73 sites closing this summer.

They come in response to fears that the vulnerable empty buildings could be targeted by vandals and arsonists after they close for good later this month.

In June, the T&A revealed that at least one school had received threats from local people seeking revenge over the decision to close it.

The Council's school closures officer Paul Langham said: "We feel the closures offer the possibility of more problems than during any other year so we are increasing security."

He told the Council's education scrutiny committee that the patrols would pay more attention to schools thought to be particularly at risk. Some inner city schools would be boarded up within days of closure to keep out vandals.

He also revealed certain schools had requested extra help during the final week of term when pupils finish five days early.

"We will put static guards in for when teachers are inside packing up and their pupils are outside doing other things," he said.

Mr Langham said the security patrols were co-operating closely with West Yorkshire Police who had provided them with a quick response number. The force was also operating a summer scheme aimed at keeping known troublemakers occupied.

"The police have been extremely helpful with us on this game," he said.

But he warned: "This isn't risk elimination - we can't do that. This is risk reduction."

Close Watch is an offshoot of the council's usual School Watch security programme, which is targeting another 50 schools this summer where problems from vandals are also expected.

At the same meeting, concerns were raised over the responsibility that school governors were having to take for security at some closing schools.

Schools where buildings are left vacant after closure will become the responsibility of the Council's property services department. But those where the buildings are to be taken over by another school will remain under the original governors' control until August 31, when their school officially closes.

Scrutiny committee chairman Councillor Elaine Byrom (Con), who raised the issue, said this was made worse for governors at schools where contractors would be on site over the summer.

"It is an extremely worrying set of responsibilities for certain people," she said. The committee voted to recommend that the Council's executive committee urgently addresses the issue.