Exeter has seen a large rise in the number of people with debt management problems a year, it has emerged.

Government figures reveal that 647 people filed for bankruptcy at Exeter county court over the course of 2006, a rise of 26 per cent from the previous year, reports the Express & Echo.

Meanwhile, house repossessions were reported to have increased by more than 35 per cent.

Former director of Exeter’s Citizens’ Advice branch, Matthew Brown, claimed debt management companies in the south-west city were struggling to cope with the rising consumer demand for help with managing their finances.

He told the publication: "There are far more people than we can deal with to the extent that we would like."

Mr Brown added that rising utility bills and lower than average wages were also to blame for Exeter’s debt management difficulties.

Meanwhile, he advised that although credit is easy to come by, consumers should "take responsibility for what they borrow".

At the end of January 2007, Britain’s personal debt stood at £1,300 billion.

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