A THIRD of Leigh's outside traders have now given up trading in the town.

Two more long serving stall holders packed in this week after another day without making a living.

The latest, secondhand dealer Mavis Ravenscroft, who has spent eight years on the market, threw in the towel on Tuesday -- and will instead take her trade to Widnes on Wednesdays. And trainers' salesman Zamman gave up his stall on Monday after taking just £3.

Spokesman Maureen Maloney said this week: "I just don't know how long the remainder can go on. We seem to be fighting a losing battle. Ten out of 30 is a lot to go."

But earlier this week Wigan Metro's cabinet member for leisure and cultural services, Cllr Brian Baldwin, assured the outdoor dealers they had not been forgotten.

He said: "I saw the plight of the outdoor traders for myself in the week before Christmas. We are taking the matter very seriously and I can assure them that it would have been dealt with much earlier but for the Christmas and New Year break. I met the director of leisure Rodney Hill on Monday and told him that the relocation wasn't what was expected or desired. The traders have been hard done to.

"We cannot pay them the £500 compensation they asked for because it is the developers who have pushed them there, but we are looking at a favourable package for them. The director will visit the site to see for himself this week."

The traders were moved from their original site in November to make way for a multi million pound extension to the Spinning Gate Centre.

Since they were rehoused on the Gas Street car park they have seen custom dwindle to nothing.

Mavis said: "I just can't be bothered any more. This site is like Beirut, people can't even see us. We just can't keep on like this."

Maureen, who has had to take a second job as double glazing demonstrator to make ends meet, said: "Just when you think the situation can't get any worse it does. They're digging up at the side of us now. It is just horrendous, we are getting no help."

Music trader Keith McGuire said: "A lot of customers haven't a clue that we're here. The little signs that were put up have vanished. Ask the people if they know where their market is?"