THERE was a pleasing absence of the green-grocers' apostrophe on Mark and Denise Barrett's market stall in Christchurch High Street yesterday, but the reassuring bellow of the costermonger's call was still there.

Mark was absent having been up at 2am buying produce from the wholesaler in Southampton, leaving golf-widow Denise running the stall.

But Simon Oakley, who works with the couple flogging fruit and veg at markets in Christchurch, New Milton, Havant and Waterlooville, was in fine form.

"Cherries - they're big, they're beautiful - just like my mum," he yelled.

"They're from the USA. That's not the United States of Aldershot, but the United States of America.

"Sweet cherries: Just ripe for the plucking. Just like Fergie, when she was 16."

It's not meant to be taken seriously, but to get the customer's attention to some of the beautiful bargains on offer.

But in Hexham, Northumberland, the district council has had complaints from office workers who say the din gives them a headache.

Now the council has moved in to cut the calling.

Denise Barrett, who is not averse to a bit of yelling selling herself, said: "I just think that's what you need on a market. At the end of the day, more so, because we've got perishable goods. We sell fresh stuff every day."

Not that many market traders call out their wares in Christchurch. "Scott at the butcher's; he shouts," said Denise. "You don't want to shout in their faces, but you've got to draw attention to the stall. We've got a fruit and veg stall and it needs a bit of banter."

Vanda Leigh from Lymington was shopping with her mother Mary Jamrosy and daughter Hannah.

Having just purchased a bagful of tasty treats from Simon she was obviously prey to his vocal charms. She said: "I like it. It adds a bit of atmosphere to the market. He sounds happy, which is what it's all about.

"Mind you, I don't know what would happen if everyone was shouting," she said as Simon bellowed to everyone within a hundred yards: "It's £1 a bowl - any bowl on the table. It's a big bowl of fruit for a little bit of cash."

No one at Christchurch Borough Council is perturbed about the little bit of yelling. In fact it gets their backing.

The council's economic development manager, Paul Riley, said: "The council is delighted that this weekly Monday event is now a very well established and popular part of the offer to our residents and visitors.

"We have never received a complaint about a market trader shouting out prices, indeed we welcome the way some of the traders do this because it all adds to the atmosphere of the market.

"If we did receive a noise complaint we would of course consider it carefully in the normal way."