THRIFTY Christmas shoppers are making East Lancashire retailers nervous by leaving present buying until the very last minute.

The trend throughout the area echos the national mood of consumers becoming less confident in parting with their money, although there have been some exceptions.

Retailers are hoping for a major rush in the immediate run-up to Christmas to make up for the slow start.

On a local level, consumers are said to be shopping increasingly carefully with the need for a bargain becoming paramount.

Nationally, nervousness in shoppers has been blamed on increasing interest rates, fears over getting into debt, people waiting for early sales to start and even the high amount of rainfall in November.

David Southwell, from the British retail Consortium, which represents large and small retailers across the UK, said: "This year we have seen a much slower run up and a lot less spending. Over October and November it has been very, very quiet. And there was a lot of nervousness from retailers at the start of the month."

Mr Southwell said that over the last five years the trend had been for people to leave their Christmas shopping until much later in the month, particularly until they receive their last pay cheque before Christmas."

Mr Southwell said that Christmas was a vital period for retailers with some doing up to 40 per cent of their annual trade in the three-month period over Christmas and New Year. "It can make or break a retailer," he said.

Meanwhile, a quarter of a million people have backed a bill to prevent large stores opening on Christmas Day. Legislation does not prevent stores larger than 280 sq metres from opening on Christmas Day, unless it falls on a Sunday. Shopworkers fear it is only a matter of time before big stores open on Christmas Day.

The Christmas Day (Trading ) Bill presented by Labour MP Kevan Jones contains 250,000 signatures backing legislation to ensure larger shops remain closed. It is hoped it will be law by Christmas Day 2004.