Up to 80% of workers in some regions of Britain earn less than the average weekly wage, according to a leading union.

An analysis of earnings figures by the GMB showed that 63% of British workers were on less than the average wage of �460, rising to 71% in Wales.

The figures showed that Cornwall topped the league of low earners, with average pay of �348 a week and 83% taking home less than the national average.

Other low earning regions included Torbay (81% below the national average), Tameside (80%), Blackburn and Darwen (80%), Blackpool (79%), Inverclyde, Walsall, Powys, Stoke-on-Trent and the Isle of Wight (all 78%).

Upstairs-downstairs

The area where fewest workers earned less than the average was London (19%).

Paul Kenny, a candidate in the election for GMB general secretary said: "Nothing illustrates the upstairs-downstairs nature of contemporary Britain better than these figures.

"Private sector male managers and professionals are getting more than their fair share compared with nearly all public sector workers, manual men and nearly all women in the private sector.

"The tax system must be used to correct this imbalance."