UNEMPLOYMENT continues to increase in Bolton against the national trend.

The latest figures show that the total in August was up 73 to 8,280 from 8,207 in July.

Male unemployment fell by 40 from 6,486 to 6,446, but the female jobless figure rose by 113 from 1,721 to 1,834.

During the same period, the local Jobcentres had 1,089 unfilled vacancies and placed 904 people in employment.

The figure for the Bolton and Bury travel-to-work area rose by 172 from 13,454 to 13,626.

Females out of a job increased by 195 from 3,070 to 3,265 and the male figure went down by 23 from 10,384 to 10,361.

The North-west unemployment rate of 8.5pc compares with a national average of 7.6pc.

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