Ministry of Defence may close Deepcut

The army barracks at the centre of a police investigation into the deaths of four young soldiers may be closed as part of Ministry of Defence cuts.

Deepcut Barracks in Surrey is one of eight sites earmarked for closure as part of a major change in training.

Detectives are investigating the deaths of the four, all found with gunshot wounds at Deepcut, the headquarters of the Royal Logistics Corps.

The Army initially insisted the deaths, between 1995 and earlier this year, were suicides but the claim has been disputed by the victims' families.

They are demanding a public inquiry into allegations that a culture of bullying has been covered up. Last month, the families of 15 young soldiers who died at British bases gathered at Westminster to press their demands. They said that nearly 1,800 young servicemen and women had died outside of combat since 1990.

Police are investigating the deaths of Privates Geoff Gray, from Hackney, east London; James Collinson, 17, from Perth; Cheryl James, 18, from Llangollen; and Sean Benton, 20, from Hastings, East Sussex.

The Ministry of Defence review is aimed at "rationalising" training. A spokesman said the possible closure of Deepcut had nothing to do with recent events. "This was all set out in the Strategic Defence Review long before any investigations into conduct at Deepcut".