A HEALTH boss today delivered a stark message to people in East Lancashire's heart disease blackspot and warned: "No amount of money will save your life if you don't change the way you live."

Dr Stephen Morton welcomed the Government's pledge to pump an extra £50million into providing more heart surgeons and more operations.

But he stressed it would not have a major impact on cutting death rates in the area which one of the worst records for heart disease in the country. The Director of Public Health said surgery only reduced the symptoms of heart disease and did not prolong life in the majority of cases.

"Reducing heart disease in East Lancashire needs a long-term approach, involving physical activity, better nutrition and reducing smoking," he said.

"These things would have a marked effect on the incidence of heart disease and requires, especially on smoking, a clear government policy."

Dr Morton said East Lancashire suffered 33 per cent more deaths from heart disease for people under 75 years than the country as a whole.

"East Lancashire is one of the three or four worst areas in the North West and the North West is the worst region in the country for heart disease," he added.

"In the past we had relatively low levels of access to cardiac surgery, but this has improved to the average for the North West rate over the last three or four years." Patient care watchdogs also welcomed Health Secretary Alan Milburn's extra cash announcement.

Burnley Community Health Council chairman Frank Clifford, who underwent a triple heart by-pass three years ago, said it would do much to reduce the over-long waiting for surgery.

"Sadly some people die before they can get the help they need," he said.

Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley CHC chief officer Nigel Robinson said he hoped East Lancashire would get its share of the much-needed funding.

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