DESPERATE times call for desperate measures and one Banbury businessman has taken matters into his own hands to help his son get a job.

Bradley Elsmore wants to become an electrician.

He has sent out more than 100 letters, emails and even knocked on doors to find work, but to no avail.

Now dad Martyn, who owns Fairway Fish Bar, in The Fairway, has come up with a unique incentive to help his son land a job – free fish and chips once a week to his employer.

Bradley, 16, is one of 500 young people aged 16 to 19 in the town not in employment, education or training, known as “Neets”.

This age group has been one of the worst affected by the recession and demand for jobs is so high in the town there were 350 applications for 18 new jobs at a supermarket.

Bradley said: “I have been handing out my CV to different electricians to get an apprenticeship and have said they are not taking anyone on.

“It has been a knock-back, but I am determined. I’m reliable, always on time, well organised and got good grades in science.”

Mr Elsmore said: “All we are asking for is someone to give him a chance.

“He got 98 per cent attendance at school and he’s eager to learn.

“I’m in business myself and everyone is trying to keep the overheads down. But without someone giving him a chance, he’s snookered.”

The move comes as a scheme aimed at helping young people into training or employment gets off the ground. Cherwell District Council, MP Tony Baldry, and Oxford and Cherwell Valley College want to link young people and businesses. So far businesses have made 134 pledges to help young people by offering a range of actions from a talk about their business to an apprenticeship.

Mr Baldry said he believed it was tougher for young people to get work because employers were looking for skilled people.

He said: “However, I think employers realise they will increasingly have to train and generate their skills.

“This is going to be an intensive programme of persuading employers to offer more apprenticeships, and that taking young people on is very cost effective.

“The bureaucracy for apprenticeships has been reduced to the absolute minimum and colleges now complete the paperwork.”

A new Tesco Express store, in the former Lloyds Bank building, in High Street received 350 applications for 18 jobs. Store manager Daniel said: “I was overwhelmed by the response. In this time of economic uncertainty, it is great we are able to create jobs for our community and help get people back into work.”

Anyone who can help Bradley should call 01295 263980.