The court closed in the mid 1990s and was used by the police for storage until they moved out in 2005 and the complex at Kilnwell Road transferred to the town council.

Whilst working up a scheme for the building's future the council is making the court room available to trainee police officers to test out their skills at giving evidence before magistrates and last week the recruits got the chance to do just that.

They were the third crop of student officers through and all agree that the 156 year old imposing room gave the situation added gravitas.

With former town policeman as court clerk, their trainers Jack Barrett and Steve Smith as prosecution and defence solicitors and magistrates Robert Cox and Marijke Chamberlain assessing them, the recruits had to give evidence on an arrest they had made.

Rebecca Brookes, one of the 11 students who are this week starting a ten week programme on the beat across Lincoln and West Lindsey, said it was a valuable experience which would ease the nerves when they had to do it for real.

"It's a fantastic building and gives a real sense of the history behind what we're doing," she said.

Mr Smith said that by having access to the building, the court room experience was so much more real and daunting than it could ever be ina classroom setting.

Hazel Barnard, chairman of the Rase Heritage Society pushing to have the court made available for public and community use and the magistrates room opened up as an archive resource, said it was 'lovely to see it back in use again'.

Pupils and history teachers of the primary and De Aston schools have given a brief of their tour of the building to the council detailing opportunities for it to be used for GCSE history coursework, for drama performances and exhibitions.

Rase Heritage member Mal Jones who co-ordinated the schools' response said, "It is clear there is important educational potential in the Old Police Station. Children, even as young as ten, can understand the potential of the building as a focal point for local heritage collection, display and investigation."