AN ANGRY butcher has branded town hall officials as "bullies" after they threatened to give his pavement displays the chop.

Gary Hill, manager of Paul's Butchers in the Longfield Centre, Prestwich, has hit out at demands to remove his refrigerated meat display which he has set up outside his shop every day for the past 14 months.

And fellow traders on the beleaguered shopping precinct are angry about being served notice to pack up their advertising A-boards, fruit and veg tables and front-of-shop displays.

Gary (41) said: "I have never been aware of any qualms from the public before but the council sent me a letter giving me 14 days to remove the freezer table.

"They claim they have had complaints from shoppers and if I don't comply they will move it themselves and charge me for the favour!"

But the butcher claims that 45 per cent of his trade derives from customers passing by and spotting cuts of meat on display outside the shop. And he said that if he was to take down the freezer table it would cost an apprentice his job.

"I would say we take around £700 a week from that display alone," Gary added bluntly. "If we lost that then we wouldn't be able to employ the apprentice."

Engineering manager at Bury Council, Mr Ian Walker, said he was only acting on complaints from the public which had been raised at a recent area board meeting.

He said: "We have been asked to sort it out. Anything left on the highway is an offence and can cause an obstruction to the physically disabled, mums with prams, old people and the blind. Around nine shops have received a similar letter."

Gary hit back stating that shopkeepers in Bury were allowed to trade in this way and defended the action as a traditional selling technique.

Mel Kersh of Prestwich Hosiery Bar and The Salesroom, who was told to clean up his act two weeks ago, agreed and added: "This is the way people have traded for years. Why do they have to pick on a beleaguered precinct? They are bullying us and will put ME out of business."

Mr Walker said: "Other people who do this are actually breaking the law. There may be a solution but it is very difficult as we cannot justify the offence."

Phil Parkinson, area co-ordinator, said: "It is a dilemma but we have received a lot of public support for this. One trader was highlighted in particular but we have to be very careful and not discriminate."