Council bosses and regeneration agency officials asked university researchers to back their call for a share of jobs.

A subsequent report by Sheffield Hallam University said Barrow would be more suitable than big conurbations highlighted by the government.

More than 24,000 civil service jobs are set to be relocated out of London.

Barrow has suffered big manufacturing and shipbuilding job losses in recent years.

But researchers suggest that Cumbria has more to offer than big city areas like Tyneside, Merseyside and Manchester.

Dr Tony Gore, a senior research fellow in social and economic regeneration, said: "County towns like Barrow have a lot to offer prospective employers.

High unemployment

"Unlike big city areas, there is a good pool of skilled labour, a lot of whom have good qualifications and are underemployed.

"Smaller areas like Barrow also offer lower staff turnover and less of a drain on existing labour markets.

"In Barrow's case there is also the obvious factor of living near the Lake District"

Furness Regeneration and Barrow Borough Council commissioned the study by Dr Gore's team.

Barrow council leader Terry Waiting said: "The government has already highlighted Barrow as a hot spot for high unemployment and for those on incapacity benefit.

"We believe that we have a lot to offer in Barrow. We've got the facilities, we've got the area that would attract people and also the will to make it work."

Mr Waiting said the authority would now consult neighbouring towns in an effort to lobby ministers and attempt to persuade them that Cumbria should be considered as an option.