SOMETIMES in this job I have to sit up, clear out my ear trumpet and take a second pass at a piece of news because it is such a surprise.

It’s not often, we are fairly good at forecasting and the dark arts of economic rune reading at the Chamber, but sometimes we are surprised.

Now, it’s fair to say that the things which do shock/amaze/stun us probably aren’t as interesting as say, the latest episode of Game of Thrones, or indeed Britain’s Got Talent, and our “rollercoaster rides” are probably more like a game of leapfrog.

But sometimes we are amazed. And it is what has happened with the economy and, in particular, the unemployment figures over the last few months which is doing it.

Teesside is flying” said one of our members at a recent meeting “totally outstripping all our other offices”.

“Yes” said another, “we are finding that as well, there just seems to be so much optimism and investment”. Speaking to our members they tell a similar story with full order books, difficulty finding premises and trying to recruit skilled staff. And then came the unemployment figures.

Every month for the nearly 19 years in this job, the unemployment figures have been released and the North-East is at the bottom, lagging a consistent two per cent and more behind the national figure. But, in May, something changed.

For the first time, the North-East wasn’t bottom of the pile.

London was. The June figures brought even better news, we had moved up another place above the West Midlands and the North-East had gained 25,000 jobs.

“We’re not even getting the calls from national newspapers anymore about gloomy news, presumably they have all gone to Merthyr….or Mayfair.

The puzzle is, we are not sure why. Certainly there is a huge amount of investment coming into the area at the moment.

There is optimism about the offshore wind industry and significant investment in chemicals and biological science.

However, the oil and gas industry continues to have a tough time and engineering is bumping along.

Some of the explanation may lie in the boom in the building and construction industry with a strong supply chain in this area and wages do bring about a retail bounce.

Whatever the cause we will always take nice surprises in the numbers. The Office of National Statistics might not be Love Island but sometimes we are just as gripped.

Rachel Anderson is head of policy and representation at the North East England Chamber of Commerce