A County Durham action team aiming to help people back into work has come up with a novel way of targeting potential clients.

Easington Action Team for Jobs has been out into the area's pubs and clubs, handing out beer mats.

The mats, designed by David Saxon of East Durham Development Agency, feature images of road signs, with a simple message underneath.

The back of the mats advertises the work of the Action Team and how it can help the unemployed back into work.

David said: "The idea was to keep it straightforward on one side, to get the readers attention, and then get them to ask questions.

"On the reverse, we put our telephone number and changed the message to tell people how the Easington Action Team for Jobs can help them back into work."

Another print run of beer mats has already been done, and a third is likely to follow in the coming weeks.

There have already been a number of inquiries from people calling to find out more about the Easington Action Team for Jobs and how they can be helped back into work.

Kate Welch is in charge of the Easington Action Team. She is delighted with the results achieved by the campaign.

She said: "It's very hard for the long-term unemployed or those who have been ill for long periods of time to find work.

"The Action Team can help these people back into employment, but we can't provide such support if we don't know who needs it in the first place.

"By targeting social circles we are asking people to talk about the Action Team and spread the news around their community that we are here to help them."

For further details of the work of the Easington Action Team for Jobs, contact Linda Robinson at the Business Resource Centre in Sunderland Road, Horden, on 0191-518 3052.