A PROGRAMME of music and fun has been arranged for Guisborough's first Farmers' Market.

Tomorrow's speciality market caused controversy when business leaders in the town objected to a proposal to close off the town's main shopping street, Westgate.

However, those plans were shelved after council officials agreed on other safety measures.

Organisers of the market, which will be open from 10am to 3pm, expects more than 20 traders from all over the North-East to boost the town's regular Saturday market.

The success of the project, part of the Guisborough Market Town Initiative programme, with support from Redcar and Cleveland Council and Lord Gisborough, will be monitored with a view to organising a series of similar speciality markets next year.

There will be music performances by three bands and children will be entertained by hourly Punch and Judy shows and street entertainers. Extra car parking places will be signposted and the areas stewarded.

Motorists who park on the cobbles are being warned they face the risk of a fine if their cars are not removed by 7am tomorrow, when preparations begin to set up the stalls. For townsfolk who usually park on the cobbles, the advice is to buy a car park ticket after 6pm today which will be valid throughout Saturday.

* A National medal-winning family food business is setting its stall out for tomorrow's event.

Saltburn and Guisborough-based Real Foods won a silver medal for its carrot and cardamon pate at the Guild of Fine Food Retailers and was one of three finalists in the BBC Radio Four competition at Birmingham NEC last week. The firm has booked a stall at tomorrow's market.