Manufacturing 'punches above its weight', making a huge contribution to the UK economy, according to a new report.

A study showed that jobs in the sector paid an average of £32,500, above the national average, rising to almost £40,000 for a skilled post in a transport company.

The EEF manufacturers' organisation said productivity growth was up by 3.1 per cent since 2012, ahead of the economy generally, hitting double figures in electronics.

Ms Lee Hopley, chief economist at the EEF, said: "Our latest data continue to show that UK manufacturing punches above its weight in some vital areas of the economy and contributes more than the sum of its parts.

"This is reflected regionally, in productivity and pay levels, for millions of people working in the sector.

"It provides an important reminder that we're still one of the top 10 biggest manufacturing nations and we want to see policy makers working with industry to help move UK manufacturing up the rankings."

Paul Brooks, of Santander, which helped with the study, said: "The research reinforces how important the manufacturing sector is to the UK and demonstrates that Britain is at the forefront of technological change."