THE North-East has reason to remain optimistic over its jobs market, despite a disappointing return to the top of the UK’s unemployment pyramid, it was last night claimed.

Latest figures show the region’s jobless number has increased by 1,000 to 78,000, meaning the area’s six per cent unemployment rate is the country’s largest.

The statistics jar against all-time high UK-wide employment numbers and mark a setback for the North-East, which earlier this year discarded a well-worn tag of being the UK’s jobless hotspot by posting welcome rises in recruitment.

However, Jobcentre Plus’ Paul Robson said the situation is better than the statistics suggest, with the retail and hospitality sectors and Seaham call centre firm ResQ all creating jobs.

Mr Watson, a partnership manager covering the County Durham area, told The Northern Echo: “Our managers aren’t saying ‘we’ve got more people coming into the centres’.

"It is a disappointment but there is a lot going on (to improve it).

"The call centre sector is buoyant and retail is up too, which shows people are confident.”

According to the figures, released yesterday by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), which cover the three months to June, the area was one of only three to endure higher numbers, alongside the West Midlands and the East.

However, their rises to 5.8 per cent and 4.1 per cent, respectively, were still below the North-East’s.

Nationally, the ONS said employment has reached an all-time high, rising by 125,000 to 32.07 million. That meant employment climbed 0.3 per cent to a record 75.1 per cent. The South-East had the lowest unemployment rate at 3.2 per cent.