Leisure and theme park attendants are the lowest paid occupations in the UK, earning £10,420, according to an analysis by the GMB.

Also amongst the low paid are check-out operators (£11,036), dinner ladies (£11,161), and florists (£11,211).

Unsurprisingly, company directors and chief executives head the list of the highest paid occupations with average earnings of £171,509 in 2005.

The research showed that brokers had the biggest change in annual pay since 2004 with a £15,943 rise.

The occupation with the biggest drop in average earnings since 2004 was managers in mining and energy; their salary has fallen by £9,615.