Market traders are outraged after being told their rent could double unless they slim down their stalls.

Colin Gibson, chairman of the Morecambe branch of the Market Traders Federation, said he was livid to receive a letter from the Lancaster council saying if he did not reduce the size of his lace stall, he would have to pay an extra £10.40 per day.

And following a meeting of around 30 traders on Tuesday, the Festival Market Traders Association decided to take up the issue of over-spilling stalls with the council.

A council spokesperson said traders were allowed to extend stalls by an extra 30 square feet without charge, but if they used more space than that, there would be a cost.

She said this was in the interest of customers, as some aisles had become cramped, and in fairness to traders whose stalls were not encroaching outwards.

But, for Mr Gibson, the charge would mean his weekday rent would shoot up from £9.50 to £19.90.

Mr Gibson said traders would lose out whether they paid the extra rent or lost their display space.

He said he knew of some stall owners who had cancelled pre-ordered stock because they would have nowhere to put it.

Mr Gibson added the reason many traders had put extra boxes around their stall was to try to compensate for the fact they would be kicked out of the hall at least four times a year to make way for the punk festival and other events.