EAST LANCASHIRE is being inundated with 52.6million items of junk mail a year and around 570,000 were addressed to dead people.

The figures from the Office of National Statisitcs were released by the Bereavement Register, which offers a free service to stop junk mail being sent to those that have died.

The news prompted Ribble Valley MP, Nigel Evans, to call for dead people to be added automatically to the list to prevent further distress to relatives.

Blackburn with Darwen borough topped the list with 14.3million items sent and 149,448 to dead people last year.

Burnley was next with 9.2million and 102,024 respectively. Hyndburn got 8.2million and 95,056, Pendle 8.6million and 93,184, Ribble Valley 5.7million and 58,344, and Rossendale 6.6million and 71,032.

Mark Roy, founder of the Bereavement Register said: "Receiving mail for a deceased loved one is exceptionally hard and distressing at anytime, but having to cope with this around memorable dates and anniversaries is even harder, bringing back memories and stirring emotions.

"The Bereavement Register can be one step towards eliminating this unnecessary distress"

The Bereavement Register removes the names and addresses of people who have died from companies' mailing lists, telemarketing files and databases.

Ribble Valley MP, Nigel Evans, said: "There should be an automatic system when someone dies to inform this service, maybe it is something the undertaker could do.

"There are two aspects. It can be very distressing for families receiving this awful reminder of loved ones lost often for some time afterwards.

"And if the deceased person lives alone seeing mail built up by the front door can be an indicator to burglars."

Visit www.the-bereavement-register.org for more information or call 0870 600 7222.