BOLTON'S jobless figure dropped by 173 last month from 5,453 to 5,280. The male total fell by 132 from 4,406 to 4,274 and the corresponding female tally went down to 1,006 from 1,047.

During the same period the Bolton Jobcentres placed 894 people into work. In the Bolton and Bury travel to work area the overall fall was 261 - down to 8,518 from 8,779. Male jobless dropped by 204 to 6,791 from 6,995. The female total went down by 57 from 1,784 to 1,727. The overall unemployment rate fell from 4.5pc to 4.3pc. compared to 4.7pc in the North-west generally.

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