THE number of people with dementia in the area is set to soar with experts forecasting a 33 per cent rise over the next 15 years, according to new research.

The report, commissioned by the Alzheimer's Society, warns that more than 101,000 people in the North West will be living with dementia by 2021.

Dementia currently affects around 76,000 people in the area.

It shows Lancashire has the highest numbers of people with dementia today, but researchers predict other areas including Cheshire, Warrington and Cumbria will see the biggest growth in the disease, with increases of at least 50 per cent.

Maggie Williams, north region director of the Alzheimer's Society, said: "Dementia is set to dramatically increase in North West England, yet it is unclear how our health and social services plan to deal with dementia now or in the future.

"The report clearly shows the scale of dementia in the region and predicts the number of people with dementia will grow by more than 25,000 people by 2021.

"Dementia must become a local and national priority. We need leadership from local authorities and services to develop plans to respond to the challenge of dementia."

The research, which was carried out by the London School of Economics and King's College London, supplements the Dementia UK report published by the Alzheimer's Society in February 2007.

Around 700,000 people in the UK are affected by dementia, more than half of whom have Alzheimer's.

One in three older people will end their lives with some form of dementia.

In less than 20 years nearly a million people will be living with dementia. This figure is expected to increase to 1.7 million by 2051.