More than a quarter of people out of work in Sussex are under 25.

Government figures released yesterday show there are 27,041 actively seeking employment in Sussex.

Yet of these, 7,110 (26%) are young people between 18 and 24 - more than 1,500 of whom are in Brighton and Hove.

Employment minister Chris Grayling labelled the issue a “ticking time bomb” yet confirmed the county may not be eligible for millions of pounds of cash the Government has set aside to create jobs.

The figures from the Department of Work and Pensions reveal there are 6,213 people, 3.5% of the population, claiming Jobseeker's Allowance in Brighton and Hove.

This was down 1,604 from the same time last year.