PEOPLE don't suffer spouses gladly in Blackpool if the latest Census statistics are anything to go by.

The resort is top of the marriage flops in England and Wales with a whopping 17,578 divorced or separated people living in the town, according to the 2001 figures released last week.

But the town could simply be a stopping off point for divorcees on the move -- boosting its figures above the average -- according to Viki Cuthbertson, manager of Relate Lancashire.

"There's a tendency for people when things go wrong to go back to somewhere they have been happy, and Blackpool is a place that people have happy memories of.

"Also housing is easy to come by and there's likely to be work. People come to Blackpool for a little while, and then move on," she said. The town was also third bottom in the north west for married couple households, although Viki pointed out that as a holiday town Blackpool would probably attract more single people looking for work than other towns in the region.

Blackpool did not fare well in the health stakes either, ranking ninth in England and Wales for the number of people -- 36,184, or 25.4 per cent of the town's population -- with "limiting long-term illness". A further 19,713 people said their general health was "not good".

The town was also ranked eighth regionally for its unemployment, and first in the region for the number of households without their own bath or shower (596).

Dr Anthony Sudell, acting director of public health for Blackpool Primary Care Trust (PCT) told the local press there was "no shock or surprise" at the figures and that the unit was aware deprivation, unemployment and other problems that could lead to ill health.

He added that the figures would be used to help target resources towards health care provision.

Relate Lancashire's appointment service can be contacted on 01772 717597.