FED-UP traders and residents have handed a 1,700-name petition to a food store chain in an attempt to get it to commit to its promise to open a store in their town.

Shopkeepers in Eston have endured vandalism, arson attacks and break-ins for more than eight years. Last year, a town centre redevelopment plan was approved by Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, with 20 units in the High Street poised for demolition to make way for a supermarket.

Traders pinned their hopes on the proposal by Aldi, hoping it would bring a change of fortune to the town centre and help halt the steady decline of vandalism.

However, since the meeting, residents say they have yet to hear from Aldi as to when it will start work on the store, and now they have issued a Christmas plea to the food store chain.

Councillor Ann Higgins, chairwoman of Eston Residents' Association, who has helped organise the petition, said: "The precinct currently is a catalyst of anti-social behaviour. We have gone from being an affluent area to an officially deprived area.

"Traders on the precinct are becoming totally dejected and our Christmas plea to Aldi is just for them to tell us when the development is going to start."

It is hoped the Aldi development will encourage existing businesses in the town to stay and new ones to set up.

When it was discussed by the council's planning committee it was hoped the development would bring a 100 per cent improvement to the area.

Councillor Arthur Dobson told the meeting: "I notice there were no objections. I'm sure that if we had actually gone and asked how many people wanted this to happen, we would have had 100 per cent of people wanting it."

The store is to be built on the western side of Eston Square, once the units are demolished.

The supermarket will be a brick-built, single-storey building with a floor area of 1130sq metres.

A car park will be resurfaced and enlarged.

A spokeswoman from Aldi declined to comment.