The number of South-East businesses going under in the past three months jumped 16 per cent, according to credit specialist Experian.

A total of 2,921 firms went bust in the first nine months of the year, a rise of 15.7 per cent on the same period last year.

But during July, August and September, 964 businesses failed, 24 per cent more than the same period a year ago.

Nationally, 14,198 businesses have collapsed in the first nine months, 11.6 per cent up on the first nine months of last year, and including 4,754 companies in July, August and September, an increase of 655 on last year.

The research showed compulsory liquidations had jumped 30 per cent in the first nine months.

Phil Cotter, director of Experian's business information division, said:

"Although there was a decline in company failures in September, this is largely due to seasonal effects and the long-term trend is definitely still upwards.

"Every one of the 34 industry sectors covered by our report is showing an increase over the previous year in the first nine months of the year."

Business services showed the highest number of failures in the third quarter, with a 13.8 per cent increase to 910.

Other sectors with high failure rates included building and construction, information technology, wholesaling and engineering.

The South-East, including Sussex, recorded more than 42 per cent of all failures in the country in the third quarter.

A total of 2,921 businesses failed in the first nine months, up 15.7 per cent and accounting for 20.6 per cent of the UK total. The total of 964 third-quarter failures was up 24.2 per cent.

The next highest toll was the North-

West, where 702 companies went under, a 34.2 per cent rise on the same period a year ago.

The largest increase for the year to date was in Scotland, where 659 companies failed in the first nine months of the year, a 37.3 per cent jump on last year.

Mr Cotter said: "Corporate failures have been running at the rate of 355 a week throughout the year and continue to affect every part of the economy."

But a booming house market and strong consumer confidence had allowed the UK to escape the worst of the global downturn in the past year.