Market traders have claimed they could be forced to abandon Sutton High Street after the council disconnected their electricity supply for 'health and safety reasons'.

The supply was switched off by Sutton Council in late 2015 and stallholders say they have been given no indication if or when it will be restored.

Some traders began using generators for power, only to be told they were too noisy.

Others said they would look to do business elsewhere if the electricity had not returned by the winter.

Jake Hearne, who works at the BAH Products stall at the bottom of High Street, said: “It will mean that we will see stalls close as early as 3pm during the winter because there will be no lights to keep the stalls going. And other traders like the fishmonger and the guy who sells CDs and electronics need them for obvious reasons.”

He added: “We then started to use generators to power our stalls, but we were told to stop using them because they were causing noise pollution, although a lot of them were silent generators so I can’t see how that could have been the problem.

“I don’t think the council have handled it in the right way, they told us to stop using the generators very abruptly when a man from the council turned up with two police officers and told us to turn them off.”

Nick Withey, who runs a music and toy stall, said traders already felt the council treated them as 'second-class citizens'.

He said: “We were told to get rid of the generators, but when the German and French food markets come down they are able to use really big ones that make a lot of noise. They also get the spots in the middle of the High Street, a prime location, while we have to struggle at the bottom.

“And the electricity has only made things worse. If it isn’t turned on by winter we will have to move away to find business.”

A council spokesman said the power supply been disconnected due to concerns about water.

He said: “The electricity connection points at the north end of Sutton High Street were disconnected for health and safety reasons.

“The council has written twice to the traders to update them on the situation and the steps being taken to restore an electrical power supply. Even though the electricity source is not part of the street trading licence, we are aware that a number of traders rely on electricity to enhance their business offer.

“Stallholders requiring electricity are able to use generators, providing they are kept within the space of their allocated pitch, are quiet running and produce minimal fumes so as not to cause a disturbance."

In 2010 after a man was electrocuted when he attempted to plug something into the power supply.