JUBILANT market traders in Bury were making banner headlines this week -- after winning a reprieve!

For a printed notice proclaiming the fact that the market has been saved from threatened relocation has gone up in the popular thoroughfare.

As revealed exclusively in last week's Bury Times, controversial plans to move the market to Kay Gardens under a £150 million revamp of the Mill Gate have undergone a radical rethink.

Mill Gate owners Westfield, who were behind the proposals, have joined forces with Thornfield, the people behind The Rock Triangle scheme.

Under the partnership, it is now proposed to plough the money into major improvements centred on The Rock and the north east of the town centre, with the potential for hundreds of jobs.

And the news has been welcomed by stallholders as the market and bus station will remain as they are.

Thousands of people had earlier signed a "Save Our Market" petition supporting the traders in their battle to remain at their present site.

On Wednesday, Bury Open Market Traders' Association chairman Mr Farhan Zahoor said: "We would like to thank all the people who supported us.

"We are pleased that the powers that be have recognised the importance of Bury market in terms of its location and value to the town.

"We cannot thank the people who backed us during our campaign enough."