People from all walks of life will be sworn in tomorrow to help uphold the law in Bradford.

Five men and six women will take their oaths to become magistrates at a special ceremony at the court.

They include teachers, bankers, businessmen and council workers from the multi-cultural community who will join around 240 other magistrates serving the city.

Julia Baldwin, 46, who runs Little Angels nursery and kindergarten in Queensbury and Charlie Clayton Care Clubs, said she was looking forward to her new role.

"I saw an advert for magistrates in the Telegraph & Argus and thought it was a good opportunity to learn something new," she said. "I have an interest in working with young people and I hope to eventually work in the youth courts helping children and their families."

There are no specific qualifications to become a magistrate but qualities such as social awareness, sound judgement, commitment and reliability are important.

Young people in particular are needed to represent a cross section of society and magistrates have been involved in a project to get more Afro-Caribbean and Asian people interested in the role.

Granville Dobson, chairman of the Lord Chancellor's Advisory Committee, which appoints new magistrates, said it was particularly looking to recruit people in the Barkerend and Manningham areas.

"The bench is representative of the city and we are looking for people from ethnic minorities and younger people who are just climbing the career ladder to try to get the average age to about 40." Mr Dobson, 64, of Wyke, became a magistrate ten years ago when he was still working as a safety inspector for British Railways.

"I wanted to take part in the judicial process because I had long complained about what was happening in the city and it is no good sitting on the sidelines."

Alghar Ali Chughtai, 62, of Manningham, who runs his own manufacturing business and is originally from Pakistan said: "I've lived here for the past 30 years and I'd like to serve the community."

Other magistrates who will be sworn in at the ceremony are: Christina Russell, Linda Wardle, Govinder Singh Dhaliwal, Susan Brown, Vincent Dore, Shaun Morris-Armitage, Alghar Ali Chughtai, Daljit Singh Thiara, Wendy Johnson and Wannette Tuinstra.