THE University of Bolton has moved up seven places in a national league table.

The Guardian's 2018 league table ranks the university 86 and it is the fourth consecutive year the institution has risen in the table.

Last year the university ranked 93rd, rising from 105th position in 2016 and from 113th in 2015.

The tables measure universities on factors including student satisfaction with teaching and their course, student to staff ratio, spend per student and value added.

President and Vice-Chancellor of the University, Professor George Holmes said: "It's encouraging to see the continued rise in the Guardian league tables, particularly as it places emphasis overall upon student satisfaction."

He added: "I remain however deeply unhappy with the fact that the tables are designed to reinforce the dominance of the highly selective, exclusive universities which, unlike Bolton, do not give opportunity to all.

"It is also particularly pleasing to see the positive student satisfaction scores in the most recent 2018 Complete University Guide with the University appearing at 36th in that category.

"I wish to thank staff for their continued hard work in making the student experience such an ongoing success.’

A breakdown of the figures showed that the university’s sport sciences courses were rated 13th in the country and top in the North West by the Guardian.

Film production and photography courses, which included visual effects and special effects for film and TV, animation and illustration and graphic design and photography, also scored highly and were rated second in the country in the category of "satisfied with teaching".

Academic expenditure per student has also increased, with the student to staff ratio improving from 20.6 students per member of staff in 2014 to 15.1 in 2018.

The rankings were released as the university chiefs were handed the keys to a new multi-million pound building to house their business school.