HIGH Wycombe market traders are suffering an alarming drop in business, says its manager.

The bad weather, the foot and mouth crisis and competition from the high street have driven many stall holders away from the market.

Roy Bagley, market manager, said that as many as a third of market traders have left in the past 12 months.

He said: "It is not just my market, it is every market. We have got a very high turn-over of traders. Pound shops have come in and they are essentially market traders. I do not think that there is a lot of disposable income about."

He said some stall-holders have had trouble because of the weather.

"Generally greengrocers have been affected dramatically by the bad weather," he added.

The foot and mouth crisis and the bad weather before Christmas has pushed up the cost of many types of food.

Mr Bagley said traders were still trying to remain competitive at the market, which is held on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays in High Wycombe town centre.

Mr Bagley added: "We are cheaper now than we were ten years ago."

A spokesman for Wycombe District Council said: "Wycombe District Council supports the market traders especially in these current times of difficulty for them .

"The market has been, and will remain, a significant attraction to the town centre."