YORKIES are wealthier than fellow Tykes from Doncaster, Barnsley and Hull - but further down the payscale than folk in Leeds.

But nowhere in Yorkshire reaches the national average salary for England and Wales.

The figures were revealed today by Barclays Private Clients.

They revealed that salary-earners in York are the fourth richest in Yorkshire, with an average income of £21,191.

Leeds tops the list of 13 areas with £22,167, while North Yorkshire is said to come in second with an average of £22,113.

The East Riding comes in with £21,893, while the poorest is Hull, where average incomes are only £17,092.

But all of these fall below the national average for England and Wales of £23,338.

The research into the income of at least 33,000 people in each area of the country involved Barclays' database on 5.7 million accounts.

The research is the first of its kind by Barclays Private Clients and is now likely to become annual - a fact welcomed by Roland Harris, chief executive of the York and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce. Mr Harris said: "At last we are able to see a detailed breakdown of wages in different parts of the county.

"All we have had to go on the past have been global averages for Yorkshire and the Humber published by Yorkshire Forward, the regional development agency.

"Unfortunately, at this stage because it is a first, we can't tell whether greater York is moving up the scale and closing on Leeds or whether it has dropped down the scale as Leeds continues to drain York's skilled workers.

"But at least we have a benchmark, and next year's figures might also suggest, for instance, whether the growth of York's biotech industries, which attract higher-salaried jobs, is making a real impact on the city's earnings averages.

"I suspect that over the months and years ahead, there will continue to be pressure on employers in York and North Yorkshire to pitch wages at levels which will ensure that people stay in the area."

But Brian Anderson, York-based regional industrial organiser for the Transport and General Workers Union, questioned the accuracy of the averages for York.

"These figures are based on money coming into bank accounts and there are many people in York, particularly in the hotel industry and in smaller businesses, who are paid cash on a weekly basis.

"If this was reflected, it could drastically bring down the average for the city."

Updated: 10:57 Thursday, March 07, 2002