BOLTON councillors are calling for a crackdown on illegal street traders plaguing the town centre.

At a town hall meeting, they complained that during the Christmas period unlicensed traders selling everything from socks to Santa hats had hit the town.

Councillors also learned that during Christmas some Bolton car owners were running an illegal racket by taking paying customers away from licensed taxis and private hire cars.

The councillors applauded council officers who brought to court a street trader found touting for trade in a prohibited street.

Michael Lloyd, of Roseleigh Court, Heaton Moor Road, Stockport, was fined £600 at Bolton Magistrates Court after being found illegally trading, attempting to sell unhallmarked silver jewellery and failing to display the hallmarking notice. Lloyd also had four bracelets seized.

At a meeting of the Environment and Consumer Subcommittee, Cllr Prentice Howarth said: "We were inundated at Christmas time.

"Time after time the faces are the same. It's becoming a very familiar sight."

Cllr John Walsh called the situation "quite horrendous".

But borough environmental health officer John Clegg admitted a squeeze on resources meant tackling street traders would take enforcement officers away from other duties such as food premise inspections.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.