TRADERS at Fareham's farmers' market were more likely to say "Sorry, sold out" than "How can I help you" as shoppers swooped to clear stalls.

The second farmers' market held in the town at the weekend was every bit as successful as the one in June.

Among those stallholders celebrating was Janet Bacon who brought along 1,500 duck eggs to sell. Every single egg was sold by 10am.

Mrs Bacon, who runs her business from Dazel Meadow in Bramshaw in the New Forest, was delighted. "I have had to increase my duck population to meet the demand," she said.

Emergency supplies were required to bolster at least two stores. Portchester's WI stall had to come to the rescue of three WI stalls to replace cakes, jams and chutneys flying off the shelves.

Peter Barfoot, of Barfoots of Botley, had to ask an employee to go back to the Little Abshot Farm to bring more corn on the cobs both to sell and to give away as barbecued free samples.

He said: "It's been a wonderful day. We normally deal direct with supermarkets, but coming here today and talking to people about our environmentally-friendly farming has been like a breath of fresh air."

Martin Martindale, from Andover's Greenfield Pork Products, who told the Echo the last market had, quite literally, saved his bacon, said: "If it weren't for these markets I would've given up because it's so hard to make a profit pork farming.

"It's been great to come back today because people have been telling us how much they enjoyed our products."

Pigs' trotters and cheese made from sheep's milk and chutneys made to an Austrailian recipe were some of the more specialised goods on offer.

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