Published at 11:42, Tuesday, 24 June 2008

CARLISLE has been named the white van capital of the north.

The city has more plumbers, electricians, builders and other tradespeople per head of population than any other place between Cambridge and the north of Scotland.

A survey by website locallife.co.uk found there is one tradesman for every 302 people in Carlisle. That puts the city sixth behind Southampton, Salisbury, Cambridge, Guildford and Stevenage.

Top ranked Southampton has one tradesperson for every 239 local residents. The place with the fewest tradespeople per capita is South Tyneside – with one for every 1,476 people.

Locallife.co.uk based the survey on the number of plumbers, plasterers, painters and decorators, builders, electricians, roofers, carpenters and locksmiths relative to population size in an area.

TOP TEN (per head of pop.)

Southampton 239

Salisbury 255

Cambridge 259

Guildford 261

Stevenage 285

Carlisle 302

Bedford 309

Plymouth 367

Swindon 374

Wolverhampton 464

BOTTOM TEN

South Tyneside 1,476

Knowsley 1,119

Pembroke 971

Congleton 893

Liverpool 847

Belfast 825

Thurrock 820

Newtownabbey 804

Grantham 800

Newcastle 794

Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk