TODAY we are asking our readers to send a message to the Government over Press freedom - before it is too late.

A crucial consultation over legislation which threatens the very future of this newspaper ends this coming Tuesday, and the stakes for titles like the Worcester News could hardly be higher.

Imagine this newspaper bankrupted through erroneous libel claims, gagged from holding those in power to account, stripped of any reporting that might upset the powers-that-be.

Imagine if the Worcester News immediately put a halt to publishing any stories that might annoy someone, regardless of any consideration into the wider public interest, such as exposing corruption, fraudsters, conmen and wrongdoers.

Imagine if every time we were preparing a story which appeared even mildly critical of an important public institution, like a council or acute NHS trust, we spiked it, and directly replaced it with one saying how wonderful the organisation was.

Imagine if we had a tip-off about a rogue business owner ripping off consumers in Worcestershire, but decided to abandon any pursuit of the story, even if we knew they were engaged in serious wrongdoing and could prove it.

Far fetched? It really isn’t, because if a state-sponsored penalty known as Section 40 becomes law this unthinkable situation faces becoming reality.

Under Section 40 publishers face paying both sides’ court costs in libel and privacy cases - even if they WIN.

It would apply to media organisations not part of a Royal Charter-backed (and state supported) regulator, hammering newspapers with eye-watering legal costs even if their journalism is verified as fair and accurate in court.

It would lead to a raft of spurious complaints by people unhappy with something they have seen in print, who could challenge matters all the way to the High Court, safe in the knowledge that if they eventually lose the case, the newspaper will pay their costs.

If enacted it will change the face of this entire newspaper overnight, signalling a tragic end to press freedom for the first time in over 300 years.

We strongly support our current regulator, the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), which has the powers to force us to publish corrections where we are wrong, and levy fines in exceptional cases.

Crucially, IPSO is also completely independent of the state, unlike the rival model called ‘Impress’, a state-supported regulator funded by tycoon Max Moseley, a millionaire who has many reasons for wanting to gag the press.

If you find yourself agreeing with our view, you are not alone - in a YouGov poll of 1,700 adults yesterday just four per cent favoured this state-backed 'alternative'.

Section 40 is a piece of legislation so illiberal, so illogical and so damaging to the fabric of this country, it is hard to believe Parliament ever passed it. But it did.

If another country had a press law like Section 40, Britain would condemn it for persecuting free speech.

Press freedom, the lifeblood of democracy, is under attack in this city, in this county, and in Great Britain. It is that serious.

The Worcester News is under attack - but you can do something about it, and it takes two minutes.

To voice your support for this newspaper visit www.freethepress.co.uk and register your opposition.