Britain's construction sector grew more slowly than expected last month, as the number of people employed in construction fell for the tenth consecutive month.

The monthly CIPS/Markit survey of purchasing managers showed that activity dropped to 53.3 points in April, down from 56.4 in March, and closer to the 50-point mark that separates expansion from contraction.

The housing sector, a major source of work for many plumbers, shrank in April. However, analysts were encouraged that construction output as a whole continued to expand in April.

David Noble, CIPS chief executive, warned that construction firms were suffering from low activity levels in the housing market, cuts to government spending, and more expensive raw materials.