CELEBRITY DJ Sara Cox and Bolton Wanderers star Jay-Jay Okocha have thrown their weight behind a campaign to save the town's historic Market Hall by signing a protest petition.

Around 30,000 people have now signed the petition which opposes plans to bring more high street shops to the 19th century building and cut the number of stalls.

The petition is now in the hands of Howard Barritt, Bolton Council's head of planning control.

The Radio One disc jockey took time out from looking after her new daughter Lola Anne to sign the petition after she heard about the Market Hall's plight through a friend of the family.

She contacted trader Joyce Worrall, who works at Country and Western music stall Woodcocks, on September 6 and told her she would sign the petition.

Former Smithills School student Cox also wrote a personal message saying: "It would be a tragedy for Bolton to lose the fantastic mixture of individual stalls that make up the Market Hall."

Mrs Worrall said: "She heard about what was going on. She is a Bolton girl who has been brought up in the town. She told me that it would be a shame if the plans were given the go ahead."

Wanderers midfield maestro Okocha was in the Market Hall on Wednesday to get his shoes repaired at Cravens.

He signed the petition "Jay-Jay" while he was waiting for his shoes to be reheeled.

Stallholders Phillip Owen and George Hilton said that Okocha told the pair it would be a shame if the plan got the go ahead.

Mr Owen said: "He was quite a friendly guy who signed it straight away. We did not ask him to sign it or thrust it in his face, he just signed it. He said he would not be pleased if the plans went ahead because he would have nowhere to repair his shoes."

David Wood, co-ordinator for Bolton Market Hall Tenants' Association, said: "It's a great boost to our campaign that two celebrities such as Sara Cox and Jay-Jay Okocha have signed the petition. It's great that 30,000 shoppers have signed our campaign in just 12 days."

Banners and protest posters have been put up around the hall despite orders by the council to remove them.

Plans have been submitted to the council from the Agora Shopping Centres fund to transform the Market Hall into a centre of modern and designer shops by installing another floor which would reduce the number of stalls in the historic hall.