Hundreds turn out for recruitment event

A total of 50 jobs were up for grabs offering ten weeks a year at the town centre store in George Street.

But the queues began forming around the George department of the store on the first floor 30 minutes before the start of the event.

David Huston, aged 45, of Field Street, used to work at Howdens joinery in Green Lane, Walsall, until he was made redundant 18 months ago.

He said: "There was a group of us made redundant as they were trimming down. I have tried for other things since then but there is nothing about, it is really difficult." Mother-of-two Carol Jackson, 48, of the Beechdale Estate, said: "I used to work at a clothes shop called Elegant in Walsall but it closed and I had to go on the dole.

"But I am fed up of it now and I just want to get back into work and do something but there is not a lot out there."

Young people also told of the difficulties they faced in finding work.

Kieron Gee, aged 17, of Maple Road, said: "I have been everywhere - Connexions, The Jobcentre, the town hall jobs fair and no one has been able to offer me anything."

John Perry, general store manager at Asda Walsall, said: "Christmas is a very busy time of year for us here in store and the additional colleagues will make a fantastic difference." More than 100 jobs have been put up for grabs at Asda stores around the region to help cover shifts over the festive period with dozens more posts already filled.

Other stores recruiting in time for Christmas include Molineux Way, Waterloo Road, Wolverhampton, which is taking on 50 and the Queslett store in Old Horns Crescent, Great Barr, where bosses are looking for around 25 staff.

A string of other stores have already recruited including Asda in St Lawrence Way, Darlaston, which has taken on 25 people in the last few weeks and Asda in Avon Road, Cannock, has recruited 19 seasonal staff. Asda Tipton has already filled 25 seasonal positions after being inundated with hundreds of applicants.