Uuncertainty over the future of one of the region's major military bases has ended with confirmation that it will stay open.

As hoped, RAF Leeming is to become part of a major new communications hub once its roles as a front-line fighter base is over.

Over the next two years around 800 service and civilian personnel will be transferred to the station, by the A1 near Bedale.

The future of the base had been in doubt following as its last remaining Tornado F3 squadron is to be disbanded in 2008 and neither its Eurofighter Typhoon successor nor the new Joint Combat Aircraft will be based there.