Last updated 17:35, Thursday, 21 August 2008

HEXHAM market found itself at the centre of an international media storm this week, thanks to the Courant.

An article last week told how fruit and veg stallholders were instructed to quieten down by Tynedale Council.

On Monday national TV and radio picked up the story and Hexham was making headlines.

BBC Radio 4 reported it on its flagship news programme, Today, and Jeremy Vine’s Radio 2 programme interviewed a Courant reporter.

On Tuesday four TV crews crammed their vans and cameras into the market square.

The story went international, with news outlets from as far afield as the US and Thailand asking Tynedale Council for information.

The council even received a poem from a man in Northern Ireland about the furore.

In the eye of the storm, the traders were bemused by the fuss, but pleased to find such a groundswell of support from the public.

Carol Allison, one of the traders, said: “It’s great to realise all the support we have from our customers. We’d like to thank them all for sticking by us.”

Head of waste and transport management at Tynedale Council, Philip Hindmarsh, said: “I have been astounded at the level of media interest in this story. It seems to have spread around the globe, even appearing in Bangkok’s ThaiIndian News.

“On balance, I think the massive media interest will have a positive outcome for the market and the town.”