THREE Rotary clubs are spearheading a special Stroke Awareness Day in Bury next month.

Bury, Bury Irwell Vale and Tottington & Bury West with the aid of Rotary International in Great Britain and Ireland and The Stroke Association are combining to offer free blood pressure checks and information to local residents.

Nurses will be taking free blood pressure checks at Boots at Woodfields Retail Park on Saturday, April 5 between 9am and 4pm.

Information on reducing high blood pressure, which is one of the greatest risk factors for stroke, will also be available.

Stroke is the single biggest cause of death and disability in England and Wales and the number one cause of severe disability.

More than 100,000 people are affected each year. People with high blood pressure have up to seven times greater chance of stroke than those with normal blood pressure but a number of simple life changes can help to reduce this risk of suffering a stroke.

Mr David Higgin, community service chairman of the Rotary Club of Bury says: "Rotary International supports The Stroke Association in its campaign for stroke awareness. This devastating condition could be prevented from affecting the great number of people which it does each year, if people would only have their blood pressure checked and take appropriate measures to keep levels under control.

"Simple life adjustments such as those explained in The Stroke Association's information leaflets can have life saving effects."

The Stroke Association was named Rotary International's charity of the year back in July 2002 and since then both organisations have held a number of fund-raising and stroke awareness events under the theme of Make a Difference.