AVERAGE salaries for secretarial staff in the North West have fallen, according to a survey.

Latest figures compiled by employment agency Adecco Alfred Marks found that average secretarial and clerical salaries are £10,482 compared with the UK's average of £12,034.

The local figures are two per cent less than last year's survey.

But some groups of workers received higher-than-inflation average rises.

Credit control clerks and senior accounts staff saw their salaries rise by 6.4 per cent and 10.6 per cent to £11,390 and £13,673 respectively.

The survey found that salaries for North West office staff are among the lowest in the country.

In some parts of London, for example, telephonists and receptionists are earning more than £15,000 compared with a high of just £10,912 in the North West.

The Adecco Alfred marks survey is carried out annually amongst more than 30,000 staff.

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