A couple given a last warning to remove pavement displays from outside their florist say the decision by Bradford Council will spell an end to their livelihood.

John Hardaker, 51, and his wife Joan, 58, were in tears as they spoke about the Council's threat to prosecute if they did not remove the flowers and plants from outside their shop in James Street in the city centre.

Mr Hardaker, who says he is today looking for a new job, said: "We are not talking about people who are making millions and can take a 30 per cent loss in trade, we are talking about a small business."

He added: "We have tried to make an honest living without living off the state and Bradford Council has reduced us to nothing. I have now got to go out and get a job at the age of 51 just because of some petty-minded individual sitting at a desk."

The couple opened the florist ten years ago after Mr Hardaker, who is registered disabled and epileptic, took early retirement from his job as a social worker.

Earlier this month, the T&A reported that the Hardakers were among traders who had been written to by Bradford Council and told to remove displays outside their shops.

Mr Hardaker says they have now had a second letter from the Council's highways enforcement officer stating legal action would be taken against them if they had not removed the goods from the pavement by last Saturday.

The letter said: "It is not the Council's policy to take such draconian action against businesses, but you must understand the Council has a duty to keep the highway clear of any form of obstruction.

"Pavements are made for people to walk on freely. They are not made for businesses to display their goods, people to park their cars on etc."

Shopkeepers had previously been allowed to display items outside their premises providing they did not take up more than a metre but the Council revoked the rule after complaints from members of the public and disability groups.

The Hardakers said they had always complied with the one metre rule and their display was not an obstruction but enhanced the attractiveness of the street.

Mrs Hardaker cried as she spoke of the Council's decision and said they had kept the business running through riots and regeneration but had been treated very badly by Bradford Council.

She added: "They are so keen to have these continental markets outside on the pavements. That is all they seem to want and the town won't exist on that, it is barely existing now."

Councillor Khadam Hussain (Con, City) said he would do his best to assist the Hardakers.

He said: "People who make these decisions do not know how hard it is to run a business. We should be encouraging businesses, not putting obstacles in their way.

"These decisions should be thought through and there should be a happy medium between what the public want and what business people need to do to survive."

No one from Bradford Council was available to comment.