AN unemployment troubleshooter will soon be tackling joblessness in the most deprived areas of Worcester.

An outreach worker is due to be based at the Fairfield centre in Fairfield Close, Warndon, as part of a bid by Worcester's JobCentre Plus to get people back to work in Holy Trinity ward and surrounding areas.

The centre will help to solve problems in neighbouring Ronkswood and Tolladine, which has the highest number of jobless workers in the city at 195. More than six per cent of the population is out of work - three times higher than the county average.

Worcester MP Mike Foster has already called for a "hit squad" to tackle the problem and is meeting JobCentre staff next month.

Joan Kerry, district manager for Herefordshire and Worcestershire JobCentre Plus, believes the outreach worker could be in place by the end of June.

"We already offer a range of specialist services, including the New Deal initiatives at our Sansome Street offices, but not all people feel comfortable in this environment," said Mrs Kerry.

"The outreach worker will not only be able to take our database of 400,000 UK jobs direct to people's homes in this community, he or she can also look at helping to tailor people's individual needs to help tackle any job barriers."

The centre, at Elbury Mount School, already offers parents help from its Government-funded Sure Start programme and its Adult Learning Centre provides students with a range of online courses.

It has 22 computer stations, with staff on hand to help, and a crche is available for two hours a day.

Mr Foster believes an outreach worker will be another welcome boost for the area.

"Next month's meeting will be to see what resources are available to us and I welcome this initial measure as a step in the right direction," said Mr Foster.

"An outreach worker will help deliver direct action where it is most needed in our city and we will be looking at other innovative measures we could introduce."