THE purchase of the One Stop convenience chain, which has three stores in Malvern, by supermarket giant Tesco has been approved by trade secretary Patricia Hewitt.

The deal, announced in October, had been under scrutiny amid fears that the purchase would give the supermarket giant too much power over the market.

Earlier this year Tesco refused to rule out reviving long held plans to build a full scale supermarket in Barnards Green, where one of the town's One Stop stores is located.