A stampede at a government-organised jobs fair involving hundreds of young people in Zimbabwe desperate for work left some limping and others screaming in pain, after being stamped on or beaten by security guards on Wednesday.

The Public Service Commission (PSC) held a Job Fair at Heritage Village, Liberation City in Harare, next to Tynwald Primary School, where thousands of graduates were in attendance.

The chaos came as job seekers rushed to register for potential vacancies, but no serious injuries were reported.

The crush of people illustrated the growing distress over the lack of formal jobs in the country of 15 million people, which has been hit by long-running economic problems.