Repossession rates are rocketing around the country, a local charity has warned.

An increasing number of people are finding themselves with an unmanageable debt burden and for many people the end result is the loss of their home, according to Martin Broad, manager of Bournemouth Citizens Advice Bureau.

Thousands of consumers enter individual voluntary arrangements in an effort to clear their debts and Mr Broad told the Dorset Daily Echo that debt issues are not always the result of irresponsible borrowing.

He continued: "We’re seeing more problems with debt than anything else from people from all ages and backgrounds.

"Repossession has huge knock-on implications for the whole of society."

Mr Broad went on to suggest that many of the debt-related problems for British homeowners stem from the increases in the base rate of interest introduced by the Bank of England in recent years.

Last year, Citizens Advice claimed that the subprime mortgage sector has undermined homeownership for thousands of people around the country.