Newent is in danger of losing its ailing Farmers' Market to Coleford, which will then have two markets a month.

Hostility to the market by a number of local retailers and some members of the public has been pointed to as a factor in its failure.

Alison Childs, Farmers' Market organiser for the Forest of Dean District Council, told the annual meeting of the town council on Monday that traders were made to feel unwelcome.

"They do find Newent difficult," she said. "At one point, I thought I was going to be hit by a local person. He was complaining about the noise we made setting up. I did find it intimidating."

Some local retailers have made their hostility towards the Farmers' Market known to the town council, the Chamber of Commerce and the district council. Only seven stalls were at last month's market in Newent, compared with 15 last summer.

Mrs Childs said that at least ten stalls were necessary for the market to break even.

She asked the town council to find £1,000 to keep the market coming, or it would go to Coleford as a second one there. The town council will debate this request on Monday.

Mayor Fred Passant said: "The bottom line is, there will be no more Farmers' Markets in Newent unless we underwrite the losses."