THE recession in the engineering sector has deepened as UK firms continue to feel the impact of the global economic slowdown, official figures have shown.

A sharp fall in overseas orders pushed turnover across engineering industries down by 6.6 per cent in the three months to the end of July.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said turnover in the sector was now 5.6 per cent below the same period last year, with little sign of a pick up.

Total orders on hand in the quarter to the end of July fell by 0.3 per cent compared to the previous three-month period.

The figures come days after the ONS showed industrial output as a whole in the UK was continuing to suffer from the economic slump.

Overall production was shown to have fallen by 1.3 per cent in the three months to the end of July.

Simon Rubinsohn, chief economist at City stockbroker Gerrard, said he was not surprised by the figures.

"They reflect what we already knew about manufacturing in general and more specifically the electrical and telecom areas which are taking the biggest hit."

The turnover of engineering firms in the hi-tech computer and telecom sectors fell by 7.9 per cent as export turnover dropped by 9.8 per cent, said ONS.