More than 20,000 people have signed a petition calling for plans for a controversial Sunday market at Walkers Stadium to be ditched.

Campaigning traders hope the huge amount of public support will help them see off what they call a "rival" to Leicester's 700-year-old city centre market.

Trouble flared, in August, when Leicester City Council announced it had done a deal with private company LSD Promotions to run the market on Sundays and bank holidays at the Walkers.

Traders were angry that it would sell the same produce as the city's market saying it could harm their livelihoods.

Yesterday, the 20,000-name petition was handed over to council officials at the monthly meeting of Leicester's market forum.

Dawn Alfonso, who runs Dawn and Gary's Lingerie stall and is vice-chairman of Leicester Market Traders' Federation, said: "The council is gambling with our livelihood with this market andit tried to introduce this without going through the correct and proper channels.

"At least now we've been able to air our views at this forum and hand over the petition, which has 20,356 signatures on it.

"That is such a large number of people who are opposed to these plans and are saying no to the Sunday market.

"The market is the jewel in Leicester's crown and should be protected at all costs. If the market disappeared it would be a disaster – there would just be a great big hole in the middle of the city."

The petition and traders' views from the forum will be presented at the next city council cabinet meeting, on Monday.

The Sunday market was meant to start in October but was cancelled at the last minute following a row between traders and the council.

Representatives from LSD promotions attended yesterday's forum alongside council officers and lawyers from both sides.

Councillor Barbara Potter, who chaired the forum, said: "The issue with a lot of traders is they were never given a chance to oppose it during a consultation. This has now happened. The process should be completed no later than the beginning of January and until then no temporary licence will be issued. At the moment, I suppose, the market is in limbo."

After the announcement in August, traders on Leicester market withheld rent and threatened legal action.

They said the council had broken the city's ancient market charter, which exists to protect Leicester market and states that markets cannot be held close to the city centre.

The traders' federation also accused the council of making an agreement with LSD without consulting it. Traders have now paid all the rent owed.

A previous attempt to hold a market at the city's football stadium failed after less than three months.

In October 2006, more than 5,000 people turned up for the first Sunday market, but by December of the same year, just 3,000 people turned up. In July 2007, it was scrapped with traders saying it had degenerated into a car boot sale.