CAB drivers are threatening to bring chaos to Bolton town centre by staging a weekend-long strike as part of a dispute with private hire drivers.

Hundreds of people could be left stranded if black cab drivers go ahead with their threat of a walkout.

They claim a small group of rogue private hire companies are poaching customers and Bolton Council is not doing enough to protect them.

Confrontations have already led to a brick being thrown through a car window.

Hackney carriage drivers are now demanding action from the local authority to put an end to the problem.

Charles Oakes, secretary of the Bolton Taxi Drivers' Association, said: "At the moment our members are losing out and the public is being ripped off.

"There are only a small number of private hire drivers who are flouting the law, but they are causing us all sorts of problems.

"There doesn't seem to be an end to it and we are looking at withdrawing our services some time in the future."

Mr Oakes, who has been a taxi driver for 23 years, said the situation at the moment was the worst it had ever been.

Trouble has flared between private hire drivers and rogue cabbies throughout Bolton in recent weeks.

But there have been repeated reports of confrontations at a rank outside the Atlantis nightclub, on Eagley Brook Way, the Ikon club on Higher Bridge Street, and in front of the Chicago Rock Cafe.

The Bolton Taxi Drivers' Association was told by the council last year that it was employing two part-time enforcement officers to help stop private hire vehicles illegally picking up customers. But there are claims that this has not happened.

The group will hold its next meeting on Wednesday, November 7, when its 85 members could be balloted on whether they want to strike.

Mr Oakes said that it is likely they would walk out at a peak time, such as a Friday and Saturday night.

Asif Vali, owner of Defido taxis in St George's Road, spokesman for a group of private hire companies in Bolton, said he was unsure if similar businesses would also go on strike to support the black cabs, but urged everyone to abide by the rules.

Mr Vali added: "I encourage the enforcement of the laws. The public should know they must book private hire taxis through an operator and taxi drivers should not be selfish and tout for business."

Mr Vali also said private hire drivers who randomly pick up customers were not covered by insurance.

Bolton Council was not available for comment last night.