TRADERS who have been selling goods at Rivington Hall Barn for more than 20 years have been given three weeks to pack up and leave.

Now, two teenage sisters have started a petition to try and stop the stalls being ousted from the popular spot.

The move is being made to create more space to expand the catering in the barn.

But Claire and Hazel Ashton, aged 15 and 17, of Hindley Green, have started a petition against the plans and have already collected more than 200 signatures.

Hazel said: “A lot of the people running them are retired and rely on this extra cash to supplement their pension, especially in these hard times.”

The stalls sell jewellery, socks, confectionery and various jumble.

Rivington Barn manager Kevin Salmon said: “We regard the stallholders as friends and it has not been an easy decision to make, but there is just not enough room for the customers who are eating.”

For more on this story see Thursday's edition of the paper.