Two Territorial Army centres in York and the one in Harrogate are to close, it was revealed this afternoon.

Ministry of Defence chiefs were remaining tight-lipped this afternoon about which of the city's three TA centres was to be saved.

The three centres at present are based at Lumley barracks in Burton Stone Lane, and at the Yeomanry Barracks and Worsley Barracks in Fulford Road.

A full announcement was expected at 3.30pm.

News that two of the centres are to go is another bitter blow to the army's presence in York following the decision to transfer the 2nd Division HQ from the Imphal barracks in the city to Edinburgh.

York MP Hugh Bayley had been hoping until the last minute that two of the three city units could be saved.

In his announcement this afternoon, Defence Secretary George Robertson said the country's TA strength would be reduced from 54,000 troops to 41,200.This was a reduction of 24 per cent, not the 30 per cent originally feared.

Eighty-seven centres will close across the UK in all.

Another 27 will be turned into units for cadets only.

Eight out of 42 units in the Yorkshire and Humber region will be shut. York City FC chairman Douglas Craig has expressed a keen interest in buying the Lumley Barracks site adjacent to the Bootham Crescent ground if it goes on the market.

The Government has been planning to reduce the number of TA centres as part of cutbacks. Centres at Scarborough, Harrogate, Northallerton and York were recommended for closure.

The Tories also joined in the battle, attacking the Government's Strategic Defence Review plans to cut the Territorial Army from 56,000 to about 40,000.

Union leaders have claimed that 200 jobs would be lost across the region because of the closures.

They said the job losses would affect a range of secretarial, administrative and caretaker support staff at TA centres.

The MoD has offered reassurance in the past that not everyone losing their position within the TA would necessarily face redundancy, with various possibilities including transfer to other positions.

The fate of the Scarborough centre remained unclear this afternoon, though it was not thought to be among those listed for closure outright.

In September, shadow Defence Secretary John Maples MP joined Scarborough soldiers as they marched on Downing Street to protest against possible closure.

Together with A Company 4th/5th Green Howards Territorial Army battalion, Mr Maples walked from College Green to Downing Street where the petition was handed in to No10. In total 3,080 Terriers and their local supporters within the town signed the petition.

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