THE North West has higher rates of anxiety and depression than any other region of England or Wales.

And it has the highest proportion of homes with secure windows and doors.

These were just two of the findings of the Regional Trends 33 report, published today by the Office for National Statistics.

The report reveals that there was a population growth of nearly one per cent between 1991 and 1996 in the North West.

The average weekly wage of male full-time employees was £387 in April 1997, compared to £276 for women. Nearly a quarter of households were receiving family credit or income support.

Recorded crime fell by two per cent between 1995 and 1996, and more than 40 per cent of households in the North West and Merseyside had secure windows and doors on their homes - a higher proportion than in any other English region. The study also found that a sixth of the region is green belt and people living in the region travelled an average of nearly 6,600 miles a year.

The report said: "The character of Britain lies in its diversity.

"Regional Trends seeks to contribute to decision-making at the local, national and European levels as well as to inform debate about the current state of the nation."

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