THE fashion and clothing industry in the North-west is much more buoyant than previous data suggests, according to a new survey by Manchester Metropolitan University.

Experts at the North West Advanced Apparel Systems Centre (NWAASC) found the sector employed more than 55,000 people - five times the total recorded in the Standard Industrial Classification index of government-registered businesses.

They also found more than 5,000 firms centred around Greater Manchester working in clothing and fashion, around double the number previously recorded, contributing as much as £6 billion to the regional economy.