Around 100,000 British service personnel – including troops serving in Afghanistan – are getting more comfortable combat boots made by a West Yorkshire-owned manufacturer.

British soldiers serving in Afghanistan will be issued with tough but lightweight footwear made by part of the Cleckheaton -based Goliath Footwear group which has won a major contract with the Ministry of Defence.

They will be among military personnel wearing the footwear made by YDS, Europe’s largest manufacturer of military footwear, owned by Goliath Footwear which has an expanding manufacturing and distribution base in Cleckheaton.

The boots are being made by YDS, the company's military boot brand, in Turkey and will be supplied to those serving in the British Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force.

Two styles of combat boots are being supplied suitable for either for temperate climates or hot weather conditions and designed keep troops protected yet comfortable.

YDS has been manufacturing footwear since 1927 and produces up to 10,000 pairs of boots a day, supplying military forces across the world.

The Kestrel and Desert Falcon patrol boots are designed to be comfortable and reliable while being lightweight but rugged. They have tough injection moulded soles that absorb shocks and provide maximum protection.

The boots include special breathable textile panels and an absorbent lining which helps to draw moisture away from the foot and out of the boot.

The MoD ordered the boots following a tough testing and tendering process which involved putting both types of footwear through their paces. An MoD spokesman said: “This contract will ensure that our service men and women are equipped with the best available combat footwear, selected after a thorough trialling process.

“Our wearer trials tested boots in realistic environments and the YDS Desert Falcon and Kestrel boots were selected as being “fit for purpose”.

Steve Hall, sales manager for YDS in the UK, said: “Our military forces work in the most challenging environments and keeping feet comfortable, dry and cool or warm can help ensure they are always ready to carry out their activities without worrying that a piece of kit may let them down.

“The YDS trialling process tests the boots to their limits and as a result, we are confident that the boots chosen by the MoD will be up to the demands of modern day military use.”

YDS, which has a turnover of £51 million, is one of 47 companies shortlisted to supply footwear to the MOD over a four year period.

Goliath specialises in workplace footwear, including for fire, police and ambulance services in the UK, and has been making boots since 1880. It invested in new 20,000 sq ft national distribution centre and Goliath's operations cover nearly one million sq ft, including 600.000 sq ft of manufacturing on two sites.