WORRIED Moreton traders have held an urgent meeting to discuss supermarket chain Tesco's plans for the town.

They met with local residents to talk through the retail giant's proposals for a new convenience store on The Plough Inn site.

Neighbouring traders are outraged by the proposal and believe the arrival of the store would force them to shut up shop.

At the meeting, Stuart Beeston, owner of Carousel Flowers, outlined the problems that he believes Tesco would bring.

He said: "We need to keep local businesses local and fight to keep Tesco out. There are of course losses and gains reguarding the plans. For example there will be around 20 jobs created for local people. However, what about the jobs that are going to be lost when employers are forced to close down. Tesco is being greedy and manipulative."

Ward councillor Chris Blakeley paid tribute to the strong community spirit that was shown during the meeting and has advised them stand united when the planning committee meet at Wallasey Town Hall next Tuesday.

He said: "It is easy to see that there is a very strong feeling against the idea of a new Tesco Express here. But it is no use telling the planning committee that they are scared of the competition.

"They need to focus more on the environmental factors."

Mr Beeston intends to present his argument to the committee in the hope that they can prevent Tesco being given the go-ahead.

He said: "We all need to stick together and show them all the problems that the national chain will present. It will create traffic chaos on the roundabout and eventually lead to the degradation of Moreton Cross. What we will be left with is a ghost town full of boarded up shops and derelict buildings."