The number of people out of work and claiming benefits in Oxfordshire last month rose by 165 to 8,749 or 2.2 per cent, according to figures released by the Office of National Statistics.

This represents a drop of 884 in the claimant count since April 2009.

In South Oxfordshire the number remained unchanged at 1,484 and in West Oxfordshire there was a a drop of two people to 979. All other districts recorded rises.

Nationally, seasonally adjusted figures showed a drop in the number of claimants from 1,614,852 to 1,568,128.