UNEMPLOYMENT fell by more than 6,000 last month, official figures showed today.

Figures from the Office of National Statistics showed the number of people out of work and claiming benefits fell by 6,100 in August to stand at 830,200.

The claimant count for Huddersfield rose by 129 to 1,761 last month.

The total for the Colne Valley was up by two at 1,039, but the Dewsbury figure was down by 22 at 868.

National figures also showed that the number of people claiming jobless benefits fell by 16,000 to 1.41m during the three months to the end of July, the second quarter of the year.

The unemployment rate for the quarter was 4.7% - almost unchanged from the previous three months but 0.35% down on the same quarter in 2003.

The number of economically inactive people increased by 73,000 to 7.88m in the three months under review.

The tally includes those who are sick or disabled, have taken early retirement or simply stopped looking for work.

Other figures from the ONS showed that average earnings, including bonuses, rose by 3.8% in the year to July.

But manufacturing jobs - including ones in engineering and textiles - continued to decline. The number of jobs in the sector fell by 93,000 to 3.36m in the three months to July compared with the same period last year.