THE Essex Coroners' system should not be mucked up.

The move to shut down the Hadleigh coroners' office in favour of a centralised system at Chelmsford is misguided.

Coroners' offices have always recognised the importance of a local presence.

Coroners may be based in county towns - in Essex's case, Chelmsford - but they have retained branch or satellite offices.

The reasons are obvious to everyone, except those busy dismantling this tried and tested apparatus.

It means the coroner's work takes place close to the incident being investigated and the people involved.

Coroners' staff are more accessible by those directly touched by the death under investigation, including the families, as well as the police and undertakers.

Those familiar with the system, starting with the Southend coroner himself, Dr Peter Dean, are strongly opposed to the changes.

But the move is the result of an edict from Government.

Once again, an effective grassroots system that works on a human scale is being wrecked by insensitive Whitehall meddling.