A TOWN'S monthly farmers' market has closed for the final time.

Organisers of the event in Great Harwood, which has been running for the past nine years, say they have been forced to shut after ‘dwindling’ footfall in the town for the past 12 months.

Andrew Wallin, who was in charge of the market which was held on the first Sunday of every month, said: “We have had four stalls and it has been very difficult.

“We were very grateful for the support that people have had for us but we had to decide enough is enough because one of the stall-holders was going to retire.

“I have been running it for three years and when I took over there were 12 stalls.

“There was a great footfall in the town and people wanted to come for our meat stalls and pies too.

“But now in the end we had to have people doing the Bodyshop and Avon and even gin and Asian snacks stalls.

“It is a shame that we have to stop the market. It was very hard work but we don’t want to have to stop running it.

“When you look at the comments when we announced the closure on Facebook there were people who were sad to hear about it going. But I put a comment on that people have to use it or lose it.”

The 31-year-old added: “Everybody drives down to the supermarket and they don’t really want to walk around the town.

“Great Harwood has lost town centre pubs and some of the flower shops have gone.

"Something really needs to be done to bring people into the town.”

Cllr Pat McGinley, who represents the Overton ward, said: “It is very sad to see it close. Before I became a councillor I was a pioneer of local produce and I would hope in the summer that someone else may take it on.

“I would want to bring together the other councillors in Great Harwood and campaign to bring people to the town centre.”