Banbury market traders face a new blow next month when Cherwell District Council pulls the plug on stallholders' electricity supplies. The traders were already angry over the council's decision to sell the market to a private operator - but the move to cut power has inflamed matters further.

The electricity is essential to some traders who use scales, refrigerators, and cold counters. They will now have to buy generators or quit.

Council senior estates manager Peter Hanna said: "We are bringing the supply to an end because of new electrical safety requirements. We can no longer support overhead cables to market stalls. Electricity regulations are getting stricter - but traders will be able to use generators as an alternative power supply."