Today, official government figures have confirmed that the UK is in the recession for the first time since 1991. We sent a news team to the industrial heart of Middlesbrough to interview senior local figures to gauge the extent of the problem in Teesside.

Year 8 Macmillan reporters shadow the BBC News team and investigate the impact of the recession on Teesside.

Today, official government figures have confirmed that the UK is in the recession for the first time since 1991. This means that there has been negative growth in the economy for two consecutive quarters. As unemployment in the North East is higher than any other region in the country, the BBC sent a news team to the industrial heart of Middlesbrough to interview senior local figures to gauge the extent of the problem in Teesside.

As a local school, involved with the BBC 'News Report' project, we were fortunate enough to be invited to shadow their production team, and had the opportunity to interview their guests after Business reporter, Maryam Moshiri, had completed her own interviews.

In the previous recession the North East was very hard hit, however, many people now seem to feel that Middlesbrough is better placed than many regions to weather the recession. Alastair Thomson, Dean of Teesside Business School, said, "Some industries are going to be very hard hit but there are also a lot of investments taking place." He explained, "The centre of Middlesbrough has seen a lot of investments over the past couple of years," which again stands us in good stead in this economic climate. Mr Thomson thinks that having experienced difficulties in the past makes it easier to respond in the future and hence, "The recession this time around will probably hit Maidenhead a lot harder than it hits Middlesbrough."

It does seem that the North and South will be affected in different ways throughout this recession. Business reporter, Maryam Moshiri explained that, "In the North people are more reliant on the manufacturing sector," but went on to say that, "the North East in particular is diversifying its industries and the sectors which it invests money in and that's going to help a lot."

One of the biggest problems in the South is caused by the serious downturn in the housing market as was explained by Maryam Moshiri, "In the South the property downturn has really hit hard because, of course, property prices in the South of England rose at a much faster rate than in the North."

As well as developing our understanding about the economic crisis affecting Britain, we learned a lot about what real reporters and producers do and it was exciting to be out of the classroom meeting and working the BBC staff. It was a great experience which will help us when we undertake our next big challenge; the BBC School Report day in March

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Recession Report