TOO many employees are going sick at Winchester City Council.

The authority is in the bottom 25 per cent of local authorities in England for staff attendance.

It employs around 500 people, who between them took nearly 4,500 sick days last year, an average of 9.2 days per person.

Council figures revealed that some areas had a clean bill of health, while others were not so blessed.

Staff in financial services were absent for an average of 14.8 days last year. However estates was fighting fit, with only 2.3 days during the same period.

The council aims to cut the figure to eight days next year and pull itself clear of the bottom quarter.