EAST Lancastrians are much more likely to fall victim to two of Britain's most prolific killers -- heart disease and cancer.

Deaths due to heart disease are almost 30 per cent higher in East Lancashire than the average for the rest of Britain.

Although the death rate for under 75-year-olds is falling, it is not dropping as quickly in East Lancashire as nationally.

The heart disease death rate varies enormously around the region. In Blackburn with Darwen, more than 200 in every 100,000 die of circulatory diseases before the age of 75, with Burnley just behind at about 190.

About 185 per 100,000 die in Hynburn, while around 170 die in Pendle and Rossendale, but the Ribble Valley is well below average -- fewer than 120 people per 100,000 under 75-year-olds die from heart problems. The Government has set a target of 40 per cent reduction in the death rate by 2010.

At a meeting of the East Lancashire Health Authority, Bev Humphreys, who compiled the figures, said circulatory diseases were a long-standing problem in the area.

She said: "Although heart diseases will come down, they will not without further action come down to the targets set by the Government."

And the cancer death rate across East Lancashire is also falling more slowly than the rest of Britain and is actually rising in Pendle -- unlike every other area.

The Government has set national targets of a 20 per cent reduction by 2010 in deaths by cancer in under 75-year-olds. Around 140 in every 100,000 die nationwide from cancer before the age of 75 butCancer rates dropped by about 20 per cent nationwide between 1988 and 1998 -- now about 140 people in every 100,000 die of cancer before the age of 75.

But almost 150 people per 100,000 die in East Lancashire.

And the region is lagging behind in cutting deaths -- the rate has dropped only by around 15 per cent in 10 years.

Blackburn with Darwen is the worst area in East Lancashire for cancer deaths -- more than 160 people per 100,000 die before 75.

But the East Lancashire Health Authority is especially worried by forecasts for the Pendle area -- although the death rate is no higher than the rest of East Lancashire, it is rising rather than falling.

Ms Humphrey said the biggest issue facing the authority was the inequalities between areas of East Lancashire, and between East Lancashire and the rest of the nation.

She said: "We could achieve our targets by reducing deaths in these areas by the percentages set but, if the rest of the country does the same, the inequalities will remain.

"While national comparisons are important, the emphasis of reducing inequalities should be within East Lancashire, where we can more easily control and measure the impact of changes."