HAMPSHIRE now employs more manufacturing workers than anywhere else in Britain, new data reveals.

For sheer number of manufacturing workers, Hampshire now outstrips Britain's traditional heavy industry heartland following major job losses in the Midlands and North.

The top placed county has 91,000 manufacturing workers compared with 10th-ranked Birmingham's 56,000, according to a new report from the GMB union.

Although Hampshire has lost 19,000 manufacturing jobs since 1997, Birmingham has lost 44,000 while Leicestershire has lost 40,000.

Britain has lost 30.9 per cent of its manufacturing jobs since 1997. There are now 3,680,000 workers in the industry.

Dorset has 22,000 manufacturing employees after losing 5,000 jobs since 1997. Some 11.4 per cent of the county's workers are in the industry.

GMB national officer Keith Hazelwood said: "Manufacturing jobs are vital to Britain's economy. We must draw on public procurement to boost manufacturing jobs.

"The government needs to bring contracts forward to retain the skills of manufacturing workers who are moving to other industries and take positive action with responsible decisions.

"Greater emphasis is needed on sectors like the shipbuilding industry if Britain is to have a future in manufacturing."

But Hampshire remains less dependent on manufacturing than the Midlands and North - despite employing more workers in the sector.

Some 13.9 per cent of Hampshire workers are in manufacturing - putting it eighth in Britain in terms of dependence on the sector.

Top placed was Derbyshire with 21.8 per cent followed by Staffordshire (20.2 per cent); Leicestershire (19 per cent) and Northamptonshire (17.1 per cent).