BUSINESS failures in the region so far this year have fallen.

Latest figures from Dun & Bradstreet show 2,762 business failures recorded during the first three quarters of 1997, a fall of 5.8 per cent on 1996.

Liquidations have fallen by 12.6 per cent although personal bankruptcies edged up slightly by one per cent.

Nationally business failures have fallen by 6.6 per cent this year.

"These latest figures are very encouraging news but the level of business failures is still too high and we have to go some way before reaching pre-recessionary levels," said Philip Mellor of D&B.

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