MONEY -- £37,000 a year, or less than twice the purported national average salary -- was a major factor behind the closure of Leigh Magistrates Court.

In the early stages of the closure process eminent legal eagles in the town voiced the opinion that the loss of the court would be "a catastrophe for the town and the vulnerable people which it is meant to serve".

Survey figures showed the court, along with two others within the Manchester area, were the only owners in the area operating at correct capacity. Leigh lawyers were quick to highlight the town had three courtrooms and needed three, but one of its crimes was to fall short of the 1,000 hours per courtroom criteria by around five days whereas neighbouring Salford was 2,508 hours below that mark.

But neither MPs nor council leaders who opposed closure could persuade the powers that be to commute the execution sentence to life in Leigh.

Nobody would deny that Wigan's modern court building is an architectural delight -- it just isn't very handy if you live in the heart of Journal-land and not everyone who appears in court is a villain.

Travelling to Wigan is not simple. Public transport takes an hour and no doubt those who have to attend court and pay to travel out of Income Support or Job Seekers Allowance will not relish the extra drain on resources. We hope the special effort being made to make "Leythers" feel at home in Wigan will continue after the end of 2001.

As one sage (who spent years pounding the beat and a few more keeping order at Leigh court) recalled on the eve of closure: "We had enough trouble getting them from Westleigh to Chapel Street. I don't know how they'll persuade them to turn up at Wigan."