UNION bosses have accused the government of ‘creating unemployment on a scale not seen before’ in town hall cuts.

New figures from the GMB show that the North West has been disproportionately hit by job losses, with 29,000 in the region expected.

Of those the union says at least 8,800 will fall in East Lancashire.

Paul Kenny, GMB General Secretary, said: “The figure for jobs under threat in the public sector just keeps going up.”

According to the union 6,000 jobs are at risk at Lancashire County Council, 1,700 at Blackburn with Darwen Council, 1,000 at Lancashire Police, 76 at Pendle Council and 70 at Burnley Council.