The number of people out of work and claiming Jobseekers’ Allowance in Oxfordshire fell in October for the seventh month in a row.

Figures from the Office of National Statistics reveal there were 6,526 claimants in the county, down 174 on the previous month and 1,199 fewer than October last year.

A drop in the numbers of claimants occurred in all five local authority districts of Oxfordshire.

Nationally the number of claimants fell by 25,624 to 1,552,985. Unemployment fell by 49,000 to 2.51 million in the three months to September, taking the jobless rate to 7.8 per cent from 7.9 per cent.