Job losses hit 73,000 in worst year of slump

JOB losses spiralled out of control in 2009 with 73,000 redundancies across the economy.

The services industry was hardest hit as 25,369 jobs went to the wall as lack of demand compounded the difficulties faced by the sector.

In its worst year since the slump hit, the economy lost more than 1,400 jobs a week as thousands of small companies axed jobs to try and survive.