Two more military bases in the North are to close, it was announced last night. Army barracks at Aughnacloy will be demolished, Chief Constable Hugh Orde revealed.
An installation at Clooney, Co Derry, is also to be closed and sold to the British government following consultations with military chiefs, he added.
The closures marked the latest move towards scaling down troop levels in the North, Mr Orde insisted police would still have enough army back-up. He said: "This is a joint decision which has been taken by the Army and the police service after careful consideration. It is essentially prudent housekeeping and we believe that it will allow for the most efficient use of military resources."