FENLAND District Council has turned a disaster into a wonderful opportunity for shoppers looking for a taste of Europe this week – signing up the biggest continental market operator in Britain for a three-day extravaganza of food, drink and fashion. The c

FENLAND District Council has turned a disaster into a wonderful opportunity for shoppers looking for a taste of Europe this week - signing up the biggest continental market operator in Britain for a three-day extravaganza of food, drink and fashion.

The council pulled out all the stops to sign up the operator after a rival operator cancelled their visit just weeks before they were due to arrive in December.

Now, the largest continental market operator in the country has stepped into the breach and the three-day Euro-fest has been brought forward to this weekend - so don't miss it.

The market kicks off in March Market Place today, moves to Whittlesey tomorrow and to Wisbech on Sunday.

This is the first time Wisbech has hosted a continental market on a Sunday and the organisers are confident it will attract large crowds.

There will be more than 200 metres of stalls selling everything from French cheeses, hams, sausages and fashion goods as well as crepes, hot tartiflette, freshly baked croissants, bread, honeys, jams and ciders.

With Christmas just around the corner, this is a fantastic opportunity to stock up with European festive goods and enjoy a taste of the continent at the same time.

Councillor Peter Murphy, portfolio holder for 'Streets Ahead', said: "The French market has become a tradition in Fenland and we had to move quickly to find a replacement for the organisation that unfortunately pulled out at the last minute. It has meant that the usual Christmas French market held in December has had to be brought forward but, on the positive side, there are lots of stalls and the weather is a bit warmer so more people will be keen to browse and shop.