A dramatic fall in unemployment in Lowestoft and Waveney has been hailed as sign of a 'general feeling within the town that things are getting better'.

The number of those claiming Jobseekers' Allowance fell another 8.3 per cent between April and May – and by more than a fifth amongst young people, new statistics showed.

It means that the number of claimants has fallen by 38.3 per cent over the past year – from 1,790 to 1,105 – and that among young people it has come down by 53.4 per cent. Wages have also started to rise to levels last seen before the 2008 financial crisis.

Businessman Danny Steel said: 'I think there is a general feeling within the town that things are getting better and that businesses are starting to invest and employ more people.'

But Waveney MP Peter Aldous has warned: 'We must never rest on our laurels' and said: 'Our challenge is to attract more businesses and more jobs to the area – and that means more investment in skills, training and infrastructure.'

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