NEW jobs have sprung up to replace some of those destroyed by the coronavirus crisis, a recruiter has said.

Berry Recruitment Group, which has branches and a training centre in Southampton, says it has thousands of temporary workers on its books and is helping many into new roles.

While many factory, retail, hospitality and leisure jobs have disappeared overnight, the business says others have emerged in driving, online ordering, food production and cleaning.

The shutdown of all but essential international travel has also meant employers cannot draw on labour from abroad to do farm and production work, the business says.

Managing director Chris Chown said: “We supply thousands of temporary workers in many sectors each day.

“Those roles in leisure, hospitality and retail have been severely hit, as have some manufacturing jobs.

“However, there has been a new and pressing demand for staff in other roles.

“Supermarkets need people in their stores as well as in their depots and distribution centres, and drivers are required to move goods about and make essential deliveries.

“We have thousands of brilliant workers who are being redeployed and we can act as a clearing house for workers and employers.”

He added: “Clients need cleaners, and chefs are still required but not necessarily in their usual places of work.

“With travel from abroad largely shut down we can’t access the usual pool of international workers, so there will be increased farmhand and production work.

“Staff across all our branches are working hard to keep their temporary workers occupied and fulfilling the needs of their clients.”

Early in the crisis, Boris Johnson urged businesses to “think carefully” before shedding jobs, adding: “We will stick by businesses and I hope businesses will stick by employees.”

The government has tried to avoid rocketing unemployment by offering to pay up to 80 per cent of the wages of workers who would otherwise be redundant.

But many jobs have gone anyway, with leisure venues and shops shut and employers concerned about meeting their next payroll.