BLACKBURN and Burnley were today highlighted as drowning blackspots in a report from the Chief Medical Officer.

In his third annual report on the state of public health, Sir Liam Donaldson points to the Leeds and Liverpool Canal as playing a part in an unusually high number of deaths in the towns.

Now he is working with the area's coroners and health chiefs, as well as British Waterways, to find a way to address the problems.

An analysis of deaths by drowning between 1998 and 2002 has discovered that people living in the North West have a higher than average risk of drowning.

Sir Liam said: "When the place of residence of persons drowning are plotted on a map of the region together with the locations of coastlines and waterways, a strong pattern emerges that residents of areas close to canals are particularly at risk - both from accidental drowning and self harm by drowning; with the line of the Leeds and Liverpool canal which runs through residential areas in Blackburn and Burnley being especially marked.

"The peak periods of risk for drownings are found in mid-summer and around Christmas - which suggests a possible association with alcohol consumption."

He said he was looking to carry out more analysis of the figures and added: "We are in discussion with the North West Coroners, the National Institute of Mental Health, the Health Development Agency, the British Waterways Board, and Primary Care Trusts, to undertake a study on deaths by drowning in the North West Region."

The report analyses areas where improvements in health can be made by taking action. Other issues highlighted include smoking, blood transfusions; and earlier detection of HIV infection.

Professor John Ashton, Regional Director of Public Health , said: "With canal sites becoming increasingly fashionable for residential development and canal towpaths being promoted for recreational resource drowning risks need to be taken into consideration in regeneration programmes and recreational programmes at canal side areas."