80% 'worry about their finances'

The Consumer Council has said 80% per cent of people in Northern Ireland are worried about their finances.

It has organised two open meetings to hear people's concerns about the so-called credit crunch.

The council's chief executive, Eleanor Gill, said people are "having to find on average an extra £60 a week".

"And when people are on an average income of £330 (per week) in Northern Ireland at present, it's easy to see how immediate the problem is."

Ms Gill said information collected at its open meetings would be passed to the government.

The first of the two meetings was held in Belfast on Wednesday night, the other is taking place in the Glenavon House Hotel in Cookstown at 1900 BST on Thursday.