Businesses in the South East region, including Oxfordshire, are the UK's biggest exporters to the Continent, writes David Duffy.

Official figures released by Customs and Excise said the value of the exports each year was worth £7.6bn to the South East economy.

The study also showed 57 per cent of all goods exported from the region in the first half of the year went to European Union markets.

Liberal Democrat MEP Chris Huhne, who is a council member of Britain in Europe, said: "More than 425,000 jobs in the South East depend on our ability to export to European Union markets.

"Today's data shows that our local prosperity depends on the ability to export to EU markets. Shutting the door on the single currency would put jobs and businesses in the South East at risk.

"This just represents the direct impact. If people employed in exporting businesses were to lose their jobs, the ripple effects would spread throughout the region, into service businesses like caterers, cleaners, and others who rely on the prosperity of our exporters."