Readers of a Merseyside weekly have reacted angrily after another newspaper described their home as a 'ghost town'.

Residents, politicians and local business people contacted the Southport Visiter after the Shropshire Star used an image of a local street under the headline 'Official: It's Recession' and the caption 'Ghost town – closed shops in Southport, Merseyside'.

Furious Visiter reader Sandra Macklin, who lives in the town but works in Shropshire, told the paper she feared it could harm tourism.

"I was horrified when I saw it. Southport is a beautiful place but I wouldn't visit on the back of that photo. It puts the town in a really bad light," said Sandra.

A local councillor told the Visiter the particular street used in the photo was due to be redeveloped.

Coun David Pearson added: "The recession is a global problem and I am not sure why they have picked on Southport. Obviously, there must be no businesses in trouble in Shropshire!"

The Shropshire Star's Jon Simcock said: "Naturally, if the Shropshire Star has caused any offence to the good people of Southport by using a stock image of the town to illustrate a story about the current economic crisis, we would apologise unreservedly.

"The Visiter is quite right to defend its patch – we would do the same – and hats off to them for fighting their corner."

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