A market stretching across Worthing's main shopping street will be given a trial run.

Borough planners granted temporary permission to have market stalls in Montague Street, between Bath Place and West Buildings, every Wednesday for a year.

Worthing Town Initiative will be able to have a maximum of 75 stalls along the pedestrianised area, from April 2 to April 1, 2004, replacing the Wednesday market at the NCP car park in Union Place.

Two lines of stalls will be set up in Montague Place and three further stalls against the east facing shop front of Etam.

At yesterday's planning committee meeting members agreed to the proposals but set a number of conditions, including one specifying that there should be enough space to get emergency vehicles along the street while the market was open.

Six shops had objected to the market on the grounds it would be noisy, attract "unsavoury elements" and its 6am start would be too early.

After the meeting, planning chairman Councillor Bob Clare said: "The thing has not been tested and members felt it ought to be."