AN MP is calling for a control on thousands of people's favourite Sunday pastime.

The car booting phenomenon is still going strong, with the Miners, Hindley Green and Bickershaw leading the way in this area.

However, many believe sales are being abused, and the bigger ones, though not locally, have become dumping grounds for thieves and vagabonds -- and provide a weekend top up for our friends fiddling a living on the state system during the week.

Bob Russell wants to see a register of car booters -- but only as a protection to consumers.

He believes the names, addresses and car registration numbers should be taken by organisers and made available to the VAT man, tax man, DSS, insurance and police.

Bona fide car booters should have no objection, and the plan would root out the unscrupulous dealers who give others a bad name.

I don't like the venues which have turned more into Sunday markets, selling new items and cheap rubbish anyway.

Bob's fears that the dole fiddlers are boosting their livelihoods at such places and he could well be right.

The DSS once toured my favourite flea market and by the next week, half the stallholders had vanished, never to return.

However, that too could be put down to the bottom falling out of the antiques market.

If Bob's early day-motion before Parliament gets through, it can only do good for the genuine booters.

Take steps to clean up by all means, but don't ruin the fun for everyone.