A NEWSAGENTS has been put up for sale with the owners hitting out at supermarket giant Tesco for killing their trade.

Bosses at Burnley’s WH Smith Local Brunshaw, formerly Brunshaw News, have put their business up for sale after battling with the nearby Tesco Express for close to a decade.

The family-run business, owned by Afzal Malik, has been operating for nearly 15 years.

The 62-year-old owner is now looking for someone to buy the property.

The premises has been a convenience store for more than 40 years.

The neighbouring Tesco Express, also on Brunshaw Road, first opened at the end of 2009, creating between 20 and 30 jobs.

But concerns were raised by several residents and Mr Malik at the time about competing with Tesco following its move into the former Brunshaw Hotel.

In 2009, the father-of-three was delivering 2,500 newspapers a week to customers in Cliviger, Worsthorne and the surrounding area.

But now he is delivering around 1,600 a week.

Mr Malik said: “The store has affected me a lot financially.

“Collecting parcels and delivering papers it the only thing that keeps us going at the moment.

“It should never been approved in the first place. The council has let us down.”

His wife Fouzia Malik, 55, said: “They have taken all the business from us.

“We are behind the mortgage and have to borrow money to pay for our papers and magazines. We don’t have enough money to pay gas or electricity.

“We are doing home deliveries less and less because we have less customers.

“It’s getting too desperate now and we have had to put the property up for sale.”

One customer, 42, said: “I have lived here for 40 years and it’s been a corner shop for longer than I have been. I remember going in to buy sweets there as a youngster. It’s sad really.”

Ward councillor Lian Pate said: “I’m sure the planning officers were looking at the rules in a thorough and proper manner and there was legitimate planning considerations taken into account.

“It’s a shame that over the years Tesco has started to impact on his business more and more.”

Tesco was unavailable for comment.