BOLTON'S jobless figure rose by 71 in August from 8,989 to 9,060.

The number of unemployed males decreased by 52 to 7,020. But female unemployment rose by 123 to 2,040.

During the same period the town's Jobcentres placed 920 people in work and six were accepted on the Business Start Up Scheme. Unfilled vacancies totalled 716.

In the Bolton and Bury travel-to-work area the total unemployed increased from 14,794 to 14,911.

Of these the number of males without a job dropped by 74 to 11,352 and there was an increase of 191 - to 3,559 - in the female figure.

The North West unemployment rate is 8.8pc compared with 8.3pc nationally.

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