AVERAGE wages in the North-East region are among the lowest in the country, according to a survey.

The GMB has released a league table of average earning figures for the UK, which is based on figures in the New Earnings Survey.

Workers in Darlington and Northumberland are among the worst paid workers in England. And the thousands of workers in the North-East earn over £100 less than the weekly UK average, the statistics, which are based on full-time employees, show.

Workers in the East Cleveland area earn the highest in the region, coming 57th out of 229 local authorities in the league table.

Stockton-on-Tees, York, Newcastle upon Tyne and North Tyneside are mid-table in the UK, with South Tyneside, Durham, Sunderland, Hartlepool and Middlesbrough towards the bottom.

Kevin Curran, GMB North-East regional secretary, said: "These figures reveal that pay levels in the North-East still lag behind the rest of the country. This situation is unacceptable and the GMB wants to address this problem as a matter of urgency.

"We must begin to address the scandalous levels of pay in parts of the region.

"I urge employers to join with the GMB in stamping out low pay in the region."

London, the South East and the Home Counties dominate the top 50 league places, with areas of Ireland, Scotland and Wales coming bottom.

The City of London's average weekly earnings, at £884.92 a week is double the national average of £442.37.

And the North-East's lowest earnings are just £340.87 a week, in Darlington.

Paul Kenny, London regional secretary for the GMB, said: "This report clearly shows the upstairs-downstairs wage divide of modern Britain."