THE region's unemployment figures have remained unchanged, despite a fall nationally.

The number of people out of work in the North-East stood at 82,000 in the three months to July, representing no change year-on year, according to the Office for National Statistics.

Across the UK, however, the jobless total fell by 28,000 to 1.65 million, the lowest for more than a year.

The North-East's 6.6 per cent unemployment rate is the second highest of the region's outside London.

The number of people in employment across the region increased by 8,000 year-on-year to 1,164,000.

Nationally, the number of people in work increased by 84,000 during the previous quarter to reach a record high of 29.1 million.