The national headquarters of the Territorial Army's elite Parachute Regiment has moved to Pudsey after it escaped the latest round of Army cash cuts.

Captain Fergus Smith of the 4th Parachute Regiment and 12 Company, based at the Thornbury Barracks, said the news came after the country's only other TA Parachute Regiment in London was shut down.

The 4th Parachute Regiment will also have companies in Leeds, London and Scotland.

Defence Secretary George Robert-son has slashed the TA's current potential strength from 59,000 to 41,000.

Bradford district's three TA centres in Pudsey, Manningham, and Keighley all escaped the chop but many more throughout West Yorkshire were not so lucky.

Capt Smith said: "Pudsey will now be the national headquarters of the TA Parachute Battalion. We are delighted to remain in Pudsey which is a strong location. We will have an HQ and a rifle company based here."

And it was good news for Manningham's Royal Engineers squadron and Cadet Corps which had faced closure after an initial MoD review carried out in July.

Captain Alan Martin, of the 272 Squadron Royal Engineers, said: "The TA centre is remaining open and although there are going to be changes to the structure here we will still have a TA unit in Bradford.

"The TA in Bradford is saved. I don't think it would have happened without the support of our local MPs, the Lord Mayor, the chairman of the Labour group and especially Tony Cairns.

Capt Martin said as well as a royal engineer detachment an entirely new medical squadron would be created at the barracks which would mean recruiting new members.

The other survivor was 'B' Company 3rd Battalion of the Duke of Wellington's Regiment in Keighley which will be absorbed into the new First North East battalion but remain at its Lawkholme Lane barracks.

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