THE number of business failures in the region is creeping up according to latest figures.

The first half of 1998 has seen 1,945 collapses in the North West, up three per cent on the same period in 1997.

Company liquidations rose to 890 and bankruptcies were up by five per cent at 1,055 according to figures compiled by Dun & Bradstreet.

Nationally the figures for the first six months of the year show a slight fall.

Scotland showed the largest percentage rise and the South West saw the biggest fall in the failure rate.

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