The dole queue in Hampshire has shortened again, according to latest figures published this morning.

Almost 300 fewer people claimed Job Seekers' Allowance (JSA) across the county during September, compared to the previous month.

According to the Office for National Statistics, 26,178 people claimed the benefit in September, down from 26,460 in August.

More than a quarter of the claimants were under the age of 25.

In Southampton, almost 100 fewer people claimed Job Seekers' Allowance last month, with 5,347 joining the dole queues - the lowest figure in the city since January 2011.

More than a quarter of the claimants were under the age of 25, while 1,290 people across the city have now been out of work for more than a year - a figure that has now increased for 15 successive months.

The figures mean that two people are chasing every job centre vacancy across the county, with three people vying for every position in Southampton.

Meanwhile the number of people claiming Job Seekers Allowance across the country fell by 4,000 people in September, to 1.57m.