RELIEF could soon be at hand for traders at Leigh's Albion Street Market after years of suffering chronic wind problems.

Stall holders and shoppers at the popular daily market complained for years of a 'wind tunnel' effect created by the market's canopy, which can make stocking up on household goods a windswept experience, particularly in winter.

Representatives of Wigan Leisure & Culture Trust's Markets' team has been working with traders to try and rectify the situation and have now come up with a solution - a new 'experimental' canopy.

Markets Manager Philip Edge, said: "We are going to install an extended canopy at Albion Street Market in a bid to solve this problem. We will be trying it out for about six weeks and if it works we will be keeping it."

The work will cause short-term disruption for shoppers as scaffolding is erected to install the new canopy.

Mr Edge said: "The traders are aware of this and it will mean that some stalls will have to be relocated to another part of Albion Street for a day or so while the scaffolding goes up.

"But as far as everyone at the market is concerned it is business as usual and we hope these measure will bring about long-term improvements for everyone."