HIGH Street favourite M&S is to recruit 363 extra staff in the south for its key Christmas push this year.

The push is part of the retailer’s nationwide recruitment drive to employ approximately 20,000 seasonal employees across its UK and Republic of Ireland stores.

In the wake of the Government’s spending and job cuts, this is brighter news for the county’s jobless which has also been boosted after Titchfield-based Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed it too was looking for thousands of new workers to carry out next year’s census.

As previously reported by the Daily Echo, the ONS needs 1,250 new workers in Hampshire among 35,000 across the country for the national survey.

Meanwhile, official figures reveal a drop in the number of dole claimants by around a quarter across Hampshire over the past 12 months, although numbers remain at double pre-recession levels.

The impact of Government cuts is also expected to increase the numbers out of work in the near future.

Steve Rowe, director of retail at M&S, said: “The festive season is a really special time at M&S and last year we had more than 29 million customers visit our stores in the week before Christmas. That’s why we’re looking for 20,000 more friendly, motivated and enthusiastic employees to help our customers find everything they need to celebrate Christmas this year.”

Applicants must be prepared to work a minimum of 16 hours a week, some evening, weekends and bank holidays over the Christmas and New Year period.