CELEBRITY chef Simon Rimmer and Apprentice semi-finalist Adam Corbally surprised market-goers in Bolton when they turned up to give shoppers advice.

The pair launched the Love Your Local Market fortnight campaign in the town on what was the first ever National Market Day on Saturday.

Homemade fish fingers and turkey meatballs were on the menu when Mr Rimmer, from Channel 4's Sunday Brunch, held three cookery demonstrations to show people how to cook easy and healthy meals with ingredients bought from the market.

The 49-year-old chef, who owns restaurants in Didsbury and Hale, said he wanted to make food that would appeal to younger generations.

He said: “Bolton is a fantastic example of a great market. You can’t help but be captivated by the passion and everything that is going on here.

“What Bolton illustrates is that good local markets should be cherished.”

Mr Corbally, a market trader from Glossop who shot to fame on BBC1’s The Apprentice, was chosen by the markets industry to be the face of the national campaign.

He gave three talks in the Town Hall, which he said he hoped would encourage other aspiring traders, young people and entrepreneurs to set up their own market stall.

The 33-year-old, who started his first market stall when he was aged 19, said: “Markets are such an exciting place, they are so inspiring and such a great place to learn. I want to say to people they can come and do it. There is no such thing as failure.”

Bolton Market was crowned Britain’s Best Food Market in the BBC Food and Farming Awards 2011.

Bolton Council’s Cabinet Member for Community Services, Cllr Akhtar Zaman, said: “Markets play a key role in the vitality of the town centre and that’s why we’re investing £4.5 million in Bolton Market.”

Other events taking place as part of Love Your Local Market fortnight include a pop-up market, in Deansgate, until Friday.

New traders will be selling their wares at Farnworth Market on Saturday, while on July 7, new traders will set up shop at Westhoughton Market.