MORE than 1,500 jobseekers turned out to a bumper careers fair in Clacton to fight it out for 250 local jobs.

The second annual Tendring Jobs and Careers Fair was held at the Princes Theatre on the day unemployment in the district fell for the seventh month running.

The number of people out of work dropped slightly to 1,966 – the lowest since July 2008.

But unemployment rates in Tendring are still 2.6 per cent, compared to 1.6 per cent regionally and just 1.4 per cent in neighbouring Colchester.

And the number of 18 to 24-year-olds out of work also remains stubbornly high at 5.6 per cent – almost double the regional average.

The careers fair was organised by Clacton’s Jobcentre Plus and Tendring Council’s regeneration team and was supported by the county council and Clacton Gazette.

There were almost 70 stands offering 150 jobs, but other businesses who could not fit into the town hall posted another 100 jobs on a noticeboard.

Council leader and regeneration boss Mick Page said: “The careers fair was fantastic – we had hundreds of real jobs.

“We had so many employers wanting to come that we couldn’t fit them all into the hall.

“I really hope this event can make a big dent in the unemployment figures in this area, for young people and across the board.”

About 80 per cent were local employers from areas including the public sector, care, hospitality, retail, manufacturing, construction and logistics.