JOB prospects in Eastleigh are to improve over the summer months, an employment expert has revealed.

The growing local economy is good news for job seekers searching for work while other firms in the borough are looking for temporary summer vacancies.

Andy Burton, manager of recruitment firm Manpower's Eastleigh branch, believes the outlook for the next few months is rosy.

His company carried out a survey of public and private employers which showed the region that includes Eastleigh enjoys the best job prospects in the UK.

He said: "The recruitment market has made a marked improvement recently. This is being led in part by local firms requiring temporary staff for adequate summer cover.

"Additionally there has been a definite growth in the commercial sector over and above seasonal requirements. For us this sector has almost doubled."

Mr Burton revealed that there were plenty of longer term jobs in the industrial sector despite some recent company closures.

Earlier this month there was a major blow to local job hopes when APW Electronics announced that 190 jobs were to be axed at its Chandler's Ford factory.

Last December the company dropped a jobs bombshell by announcing plans to close down a 112-man operation in Hedge End.

The Daily Echo revealed how workers were told that they could keep their jobs if they were prepared to move to the company's fledgling Poland operation.

But Mr Burton warned that the start of student holidays meant competition for temporary positions was strong.