A WILTSHIRE peace protester has been ordered to pay his tax bill or face the bailiffs.

Robin Brookes appeared Swindon County Court yesterday to contest the Inland Revenue's demand for withheld taxes of £540.

About 22 supporters gathered outside the court with placards saying "taxes for peace not war" to show their support.

At the hearing Mr Brookes argued that the judgment from the Court of Appeal dubbed the peace tax seven' case has yet to be heard.

He believes that it is unreasonable that he should be made to pay while his conscientious objection to military taxes remains unaddressed.

But he was still ordered to pay the money by the court which has given him until May 5 before the bailiffs are called in.

He has put the amount owing, plus what is owing for last year, in a bank account specially set up to hold the reserved taxes.

Interest earned on the account is going to the Fairtrade Foundation.

He will voluntarily release the money when he is assured that it will not be used for military purposes.

Toy designer Mr Brookes, 52, from Market Lavington, is one of the Peace Tax Seven who had their case against paying a proportion of their income tax, which could be used to support the Iraq war, heard at the Court of Appeal in London earlier this month.

The seven still await the appeal judgment.