SHREWSBURY Magistrates' Court will close, the Government has announced.

The court, which is based in Preston Street, is part of the first tranche of courts to close across The Midlands, meaning it could close its doors for the final time between now and the end of June.

The closure, which had been fought by councillors and legal representatives across Shropshire and Mid Wales, comes as part of the Government's modernisation of Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service estate.

Making the announcement, justice minister Shailesh Vara MP, said: "Court closures are difficult decisions; local communities have strong allegiances to their local courts and I understand their concerns.

"But changes to the estate are vital if we are to modernise a system which everybody accepts is unwieldy, inefficient, slow, expensive to maintain and unduly bureaucratic."

Shrewsbury is one of 86 courts and tribunals in England and Wales to close after 91 were put forward for consultation last July.