BLACKBURN has been named in the top 20 towns and cities to work in across the UK.

In a new jobs report, the borough has joined the likes of Gloucester, Guildford and Chelmsford in being identified as premier locations for job-hunters.

For their third annual report, employment site Glassdoor has compiled the figures, which rate areas up and down the country in terms of how easy it is to secure employment, how affordable is a particular place and overall job satisfaction.

This methodology has seen Blackburn given an overall score of 3.6 out of five, in their new ratings, with only Manchester and Bolton scoring higher in the north-west.

Cllr Phil Riley, the council’s executive member for regeneration, said: “This is pleasing as it is one of our medium and long-term aims to make Blackburn an attractive place to live, work and play.”

Amanda Stansell, the company’s economic research analyst, said: “While several of the towns and cities highlighted in this report may be surprising, many are experiencing growing local economies, complete with a healthy dose of new job prospects and strong home affordability.

“Plus employees working in these areas often find themselves quite satisfied in their jobs. In turn, this can benefit local employers as UK studies show a correlation between high employee satisfaction and better business performance.”

According to the survey, Blackburn has a job satisfaction score of 3.4 out of five. The median home value for the borough is £144,555, with only Stoke-on-Trent comparable at £148,844. Guildford’s is £593,761 and Oxford, another entry, is £493,058. The same survey has also reported that the median base salary for Blackburn is £18,500 - Cambridge is £30,464 and Reading is £30,000.

Much-maligned Slough came out on top in the league table.

Ms Stansell added: “Slough is firmly established as one of the best areas in the UK to work, because of its consistently high employee satisfaction and job opportunities, relative to its population. It’s also home to a huge range of employers. With plans agreed for Heathrow’s third runway and the new Crossrail, its growth potential is very positive.”