FURIOUS Leigh market traders have called for a face to face meeting with Leigh Business Partnership member John O'Brien following alleged comments he made about the state of their trade.

The last minutes of the town centre management meeting reported that "Mr O'Brien said that the outdoor market dealers were trading well, and that when he had carried out a personal walkabout there were parking spaces available.

"The traders were now taking advantage of the improving weather and trade was increasing. Their new temporary location on the car park was better than their original location."

The comments were like a red rag to a bull to the stallholders, who have seen business collapse since they were moved to the Gas Street site in November, to make way for a new multi million pounds extension to the Spinning Gate centre.

But Mr O'Brien claims that the whole matter has been taken out of context.

Traders' spokesman Maureen Maloney said: "We are all up in arms about this. What right has he to say this? He is a mystery man to us.

"We can't believe these comments have been made. We demand that he comes to see us to get the true facts and to explain where he got this impression from.

"It's a total joke. We just think we're nearly there and something like this happens. Most of us are being loyal to this market to get a stall on the new site, we're not even making a living.

Long-time music trader Ken Graham said: 'I've never known it as bad. It might have been nice to have been consulted before comments like this were made."

Household goods stall holder Clare Petch said: "It's a joke. We'd like these comments explained. We're just covering costs."

Secondhand dealer Dolly Farrell said: "He must be from another planet. He is welcome to come and stand here and examine the books. We strongly dispute what has been said."

But Mr O'Brien said: "I would like to point out that at no time was I doing a walkabout or reporting back to anyone.

"I just made the comment while en route to my car that the market looked busier -- and that was minuted."

Town centre manager, Laurie Barton, said: "John is very supportive of the town centre and knows the market traders have had a difficult time.

"All he was saying was that things were looking a bit brighter. By no means was he playing down what they have been through."