The Amman Valley has some of the highest unemployment rates in the county, official figures have revealed.

Carmarthenshire witnessed a fall of more than 26 per cent fall in the number of people claiming Jobseekers Allowance during the 12 months to March, thanks mainly to growing job opportunities in the building trade.

The Carmarthen East and Dinefwr electoral area also saw a fall of 26 per cent while the number of claimants in Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire dropped 25.9 per cent.

In Llanelli, the figures fell by 24.3 per cent.

The figures, issued by the Office of National Statistics, revealed that in the county overall the numbers of Jobseekers claimants fell by 26.3 per cent between March 2014 and March 2015.

The claimants figure fell by 2.2 per cent from February to March with the biggest drop – 6.6 per cent - recorded in Carmarthen East and Dinefwr.

The figures showed that during March there were 2,166 Jobseekers Allowances claimants in the county - 1,389 male and 777 female, making up 1.9 per cent of the working age population of Carmarthenshire.

However, the electoral wards of Ammanford, Glanaman and Garnant registered three of the four highest working age claimant rates in the county.

Ammanford, with a 4.4 per cent claimant rate, was second only to the Tyisha ward while Glanaman, with 4.1 per cent, and Garnant, 3.5 per cent, came third and fourth respectively in a league table of the number of the county.

The highest number of people unemployed – some 955 - were in the 25 to 44 age category. There were 590 claimants aged between 45 and 59 while there were 550 aged under 24.

Menna Davies, Employer and Partnerships Manager at Jobcentre Directorate, Ammanford said: “Jobcentres have seen a steady rise in employers contacting with urgent vacancies – many from factory and construction sectors.

“Also several administrative jobs notified. Employers are keen to discuss recruitment and future recruitment at the moment.

“Seasonal work has also accounted for 10 people going into work from the Carmarthen area.

“Work experience continues to be an excellent route into work with seven youngsters from the county being given an opportunity with local employers.”