A regional daily has backed a campaign aimed at tackling its patch’s youth unemployment crisis after an investigation into the issue by the newspaper.

The Liverpool Echo has joined forces with Marks & Spencer and the Prince’s Trust for the campaign, which comes after research conducted for the paper showed one in nine young people aged 16 or 17 are not in education, employment or training (NEETs).

The research, conducted by regional publisher Trinity Mirror’s central data unit, also revealed Liverpool has the third highest rate of NEETs in England.

The Echo splashed on the findings on Tuesday.

The paper is now working with Marks & Spencer to highlight the company’s ‘Marks & Starts’ scheme, which is aimed at getting young people into work and is run with the Prince’s Trust.

Prince’s Trust north regional director Clare Crabb told the Echo: “The current statistics really do paint a bleak picture, with our recent Youth Index report revealing that almost half of young people in Merseyside fear there will be fewer job opportunities in the next three years.

“This cliff edge decline in young people feeling in control of their lives echoes conversations we have with them every day.

“Therefore, this has to be our moment to redouble what we do as a trust and as a society.”