THE Yarmouth and Lowestoft areas are bucking a national trend of traditional leading seaside resorts being hit by a large rise in unemployment rates.The TUC released a report that showed that resorts such as Bournemouth, Bognor Regis and Minehead have seen claimant unemployment rates double in the last year - despite a surge in people holidaying there.

THE Yarmouth and Lowestoft areas are bucking a national trend of traditional leading seaside resorts being hit by a large rise in unemployment rates.

The TUC released a report that showed that resorts such as Bournemouth, Bognor Regis and Minehead have seen claimant unemployment rates double in the last year - despite a surge in people holidaying there.

The trades unions organisation's report shows that both Yarmouth and Lowestoft only saw their unemployment rates rise by 49pc and 48pc respectively between July 2008 and 2009 - well below the national average rise of 81pc.

The TUC said the rises were smaller due to regeneration projects to breathe fresh life into both resorts.

But for north Norfolk the figures showed the region is suffering from a large rise in people seeking jobs as its unemployment rate shot up by 91pc - 10pc above the national average.

Clive Stockton, North Norfolk District Council's cabinet member for Economic Development, said: 'A contributory factor could be the number of school leavers or university students seeking work, who this year are unable to find it because of the recession.

'Unemployment has greatly increased year on year but over the summer months the numbers of unemployed has plateau'd - a factor of seasonal employment in the tourist industry which happens every year. We anticipate that there will be further rises in unemployment once the tourist season ends.

'Another factor is that while the numbers of unemployed have plateau'd the numbers of employed have fallen. This would lead us to suspect that people are leaving the labour market, possibly to take early (or late) retirement, or possibly they have been made redundant and rather than claim benefits they are living off savings. As the recession continues we can expect difficulties with employment, particularly over the winter, and further examples of social deprivation.'

In Bournemouth unemployment rose dramatically by 130pc with Bognor Regis, Weston-super-Mare, and Minehead, seeing the number of jobless people rise by 103pc, 122pc and 110pc respectively.

TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said: 'Unemployment is at crisis level in many of our best loved traditional English holiday destinations.

'Many seaside towns have made impressive and imaginative efforts to regenerate themselves and deserve real praise.

'Just as in the rest of the country, a whole generation of young people in seaside towns are finding it almost impossible to make the right start in life.'