A UK community, described as already living in a "ghost town" have been dealt another blow after it was announced a major employer in the area was shutting down in the New Year.

On the edge of a major petrochemical plant, this struggling community, home to about 12,000 people, already has an unemployment rate of 8.7% and its once vibrant, busy High Street has already lost key retailers and has many empty shops .

Now the former mining town has been dealt another blow with the news that the chemical plant is to close in February.

On the streets, 66-year-old cleaner Peter Dunn told the BBC : "This area is really struggling. There's a lot of shops already closed so I think this is bad news."

The town's High Street has suffered in recent years with the loss of key retailers such as Farm

See Full Page