WORCESTER'S new magistrates' court is due to be unveiled in a glittering ceremony next month.

The new court building on Castle Street will be officially opened by the Lord Chancellor, Lord Irvine, on Friday, February 22.

It will be open for business from Monday, February 18, but will be shut to the general public on the official opening day for security reasons.

John Stephenson, clerk to the justices for South Worcestershire, says the new modern court will mean defendants and witnesses can expect a much better service than they were previously used to.

"The new court will be a massive improvement to what members of the public had at the Deansway court," he said.

"It presents all sorts of new opportunities because we'll have six courtrooms under one roof, and will be able to process defendants much quicker.

Defendants

"Hopefully witnesses and defendants will no longer have long waits, as business can be transferred from one courtroom to another."

The court was rebuilt next to the city's new police station on Castle Street as part of a private finance deal.

It will feature six courtrooms, two more than the city's old magistrates' court, and will be directly linked to the police station by tunnel.

Kidderminster and Hereford Magistrates Courts were also rebuilt as part of the deal, and the Redditch court is due to be refurbished once Worcester is opened.

Droitwich Magistrates Court has been used to deal with Worcester court business since the city's old court in Deansway closed down in April, and will be used to help with Redditch defendants until work there is completed.

It is unknown what will happen to the Droitwich court when work across the county is finished.