Unemployment fell in the North during the three months running up to July, according to the latest labour statistics.

The unemployment rate for the period from May to July was estimated at 6.9 per cent, below that of the UK average of 7.7 per cent.

The latest figures show that the number of people out of work in the North fell by 8,000 over the quarter to 60,000.

The number of people in employment, meanwhile, increased in the three months to July to 811,000, a rise of 15,000 over the year.

Last month also saw a further fall in the number of people claiming jobless benefits in Northern Ireland.

The August claimant count fell by 300 on the previous month’s total to stand at 62,200.