Almost 35,000 Norfolk workers were still on furlough after lockdown eased and the tourism sector battled to make up for lost ground, new figures reveal.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced the government would pay up to 80pc of workers’ pay at the end of March, as lockdown sent tourism and hospitality sectors reeling.

At the height of the pandemic, up to 35pc of eligible workers were being paid to stay away from their jobs.

Take up rates for the government scheme fell sharply across Norfolk’s constituencies between June and August, but thousands remained on furlough, latest statistics from HM Revenue and Customs show.

Some 35pc of the 41,800-strong eligible workforce was furloughed in Great Yarmouth in July. By August that figure had fallen to 9pc, some 3,600 workers.

It was a similar story in North Norfolk, where 36pc of 29,400 eligible workers were furloughed in July, with the following month seeing that figure fall to 10pc or 2,800 workers.

In Broadland, the figure fell from 32 - 10pc of the 43,000-strong eligible workforce, leaving 4,100 still furloughed.

In Norwich North, the take-up rate also fell from 32 - 10pc, leaving 4,200 of 43,400 eligible workers on furlough.

In Norwich South, the figure fell from 32 - 10pc of 45,700 eligible workers, leaving 4,500 on furlough.

In North West Norfolk, the figure fell from 30 - 8pc of 41,800 eligible workers, leaving 3,200 still furloughed.

In Mid Norfolk, numbers fell from 29 - 8pc of 46,900 eligible workers leaving 4,000 on furlough.

Percentages fell by the same amount in South Norfolk, where there were 48,500 eligible workers, 4,300 of whom remained furloughed.

South West Norfolk saw the same fall of percentages, with 3,700 of 47,100 eligible workers remaining furloughed in August.

The government’s contributions to furoughed workers’ wages have been cut from 80 to 60pc, while the scheme ends at the end of this month.

It will be replaced by a new job support package, with employees paid by their employer to work 20pc of their hours. Workers taking part will be paid 66.67pc of their normal pay for the hours not worked, with employers contributing 5pc and the government making up the remainder.

In areas subjected to so-called Tier Three lockdown, the gvernment will pay 67pc of the salaries of workers whose employers have been forced to close.