GCSE results are once again on the rise after falling for three years in a row.

Figures released by the department for education show that 56.7 per cent of school leavers in the area gained five or more A* to C grades including English and maths in the summer.

Council chiefs welcomed the rise but stress they are working with schools to ensure the results continue to rise so more children leave school with the required grades.

This is a rise from 55.4 per cent the year before and is above the North West average of 56 per cent and England average of 52.8 per cent.

The increase in the pass rate of the number of young people achieving the benchmark standard is marks a turnaround in fortunes for the borough where results have been falling since the academic year 2012/13.

Results fell from an all time high of 63 per cent of teenagers achieving five or more good grades including English and maths in 2012 to 62.3 per cent in 2013 to 56.9 per cent in 2014 and an all time low to 55.4 per cent last year, before rising again in the summer.

Bury is placed midway in the ten Greater Manchester authorities based on its results. The best performing authority in Greater Manchester was Trafford.