Councillors have stepped in to save Horsham's market after it closed down suddenly.

Piries Place market shut last Saturday after traders were given a week's notice by their landlord.

Now the market, which has been operating on Thursdays and Saturdays for eight years, will move to the other end of the town centre to Springfield Road and Worthing Road in the Bishopric.

It will be business as usual for the stallholders, who were shocked at the sudden and unexpected decision by Cheshire-based landlord the Brookhouse Group to axe the market.

A spokesman for the firm said today: "The market was closed at a week's notice. We took a broad decision that this was the best thing to do." He refused to comment further.

A council spokesman said traders in the Bishopric were delighted the market was going to become a neighbour because it would bring extra business.

The market will be open this Saturday and next Saturday, then every Thursday and Saturday until Christmas.

In the meantime the council will submit a planning application if there is demand for the market to continue after Christmas.

Fruit and vegetable stallholder Bob Dick, who will run the market, said: "Last week we were worried the market would close for good - now we have a new location in the town centre, "I am delighted the council has helped the market to carry on and I hope it will be able to stay in its new home after Christmas."

Council market sub-committee chairman Sheila Van Den Bergh, said: "The Piries Place market has been a popular feature of Horsham for several years and it seemed a pity that it should close.

"The council has been looking at the possibility of a market in the Bishopric area for some time and this is a good opportunity to experiment and find out whether it will be supported."

There has been a market in Horsham since the 1200s and a market in Piries Place since 1880.