THE town's economy slowed between April and June this year, according to the latest results of the St Helens economic survey.

The findings of the survey, carried out by St Helens Chamber, show that during the second quarter of 2016, both the manufacturing and service sectors reported falls in job creation.

Workforce levels fell sharply for manufacturers this quarter, whilst the service sector has seen a slower decline over the last two quarters.

Fieldwork for the survey took place before the EU referendum result on June 24, said a spokesperson for St Helens Chamber, so it is difficult to gauge the impact this has had on the findings.

Tracy Mawson, director of business services at the chamber, said: "In the wake of the decision to leave the European Union, the immediate priorities for UK business are market stability and political clarity.

"Business will also want to see a detailed plan to support the economy during the coming transition period - as confidence, investment, hiring and growth would all be deeply affected by a prolonged period of uncertainty."

She added: "Right now, it's a wait-and-see game for many businesses - but the health of the economy must be the number one priority - not the Westminster political post-mortem.

"St Helens Chamber will be working very closely with the British Chambers of Commerce to articulate members' concerns at the highest level of Government."

There were 102 respondents to the St Helens economic survey for the second quarter of 2016, made up of 20 manufacturing companies and 82 service firms, with the businesses collectively employing 2,473 people.