HUNDREDS of thousands of items of junk mail are being posted to deceased East Lancashire residents, causing pain to grieving relatives.

Burnley was one of the worst hit areas of the UK for receiving junk mail addressed to people who have passed away, upsetting their family and friends.

But new statistics reveal that the town's residents are amongst the highest users in the country of a free public service that stops the menace of junk mail being sent to the deceased.

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

And in Burnley the register has stopped 485,160 pieces of junk mail being sent to deceased residents in the last 12 months. Around 78 per cent of those listed had their names added by their loved ones.

In Blackburn, 67 per cent have been registered by loved ones and in Accrington 72 per cent, stopping at least 100,000 pieces of junk mail in both towns.

The figures will come as welcome news for bereaved local residents who have signed up to the service.

Anna Kiff-Wood, a volunteer for Cruse Bereavement Care who have an office in Blackburn, said: "Someone who is newly bereaved is so very vulnerable that even an envelope coming through the door with the deceased's name on it is a very difficult thing to receive."

She added that companies should have policies in place to prevent letters being sent to the deceased.

The register is soon to mark its fifth anniversary and has stopped 22 million items of junk mail being sent to the deceased nationwide.

Founder Mark Roy said: "The whole point of The Bereavement Register is that receiving mail addressed to deceased loved ones is not only distressing, it is also completely unnecessary.

"It shows it can be stopped."

To register a relative who has recently died log onto www.the-bereavement-register.org.uk or call The Bereavement Register Helpline on 0870 600 7222.