A REVERED Bridgwater magistrate has penned a letter to Justice Secretary Ken Clarke to pressure him to keep Sedgemoor magistrates' court open.

The small Northgate-based court is on the Ministry of Justice's list which could see 103 magistrates' courts and 54 county courts closed across England and Wales.

Her Majesty's Court Service claims some of the 530 courts it operates out of are underused and do not fit the needs of modern communities. In response, Sedgemoor magistrates' court bench chairman, Frank Clegg, has written to the Justice Secretary saying local justice will be the loser if the facility closes.

He said: "It will be a great shame if the Bridgwater court closes.

"A town the size of Bridgwater, which is growing, needs a court, needs justice in view.

"It's a shame and we will do all we can to fight this."

In his letter to Mr Clarke, he wrote: "I was amazed to see a recent advertisement in The Times for recruitment of 30 District Judges at a salary of £103,000 per annum.

"What is the rationale when there are 29,000 volunteer magistrates who could and should be used more efficiently at no further cost?

"Magistrates are dedicated and trained volunteers with varying backgrounds who bring a wealth of experience and valuable local knowledge to the justice system at the local and most frequently used level."

Bridgwater MP Ian Liddell-Grainger also condemned the Government's cost-cutting proposals to close the town court as "ridiculous" and joins Mr Clegg in the battle to keep the service open.

A public consultation into the plans runs until September 15.

Consultation documents are available on the Ministry of Justice website www.justice .gov.uk.

Sedgemoor magistrates' court was threatened with closure in 2002 but campaigning saved it.