NHS East Lancashire’s campaign to Save a Million Years of Life will fail to reach its ‘unachievable’ target, it has been revealed.

Last year health chiefs trumpeted the initial success of the ‘SMYL’ project, which they estimated had already saved around 300,000 years of life by adding 30 months to people’s life expectancy in Burnley, Hyndburn, Pendle, Rossendale and the Ribble Valley.

But now, 12 months before the four-year campaign ends, an independent review of its progress has described the million-year target as ‘unrealistic’ and ‘unachievable’.

The external report described SMYL as ‘a highly ambitious programme’ and said its target was ‘always aspirational’.

Despite problems hitting the target, it found SMYL had become a recognised brand for East Lancs and had got people living more healthily.

At the primary care trust’s latest board meeting, directors ad-mitted the programme of targeting deprived areas and pumping extra resources into killer conditions like heart disease, smoking, alcohol-related illnesses and obesity had not delivered.

Dr Sohail Bhatti, interim acting director of public health, said: “I think it was a really strong ambition to try and save these million years of life.

"It was always going to be a big ask in order to change society to the level we wanted.”

Steve Spoerry, the trusts’ chief executive, added: “We have to take stock and redirect our efforts.

“The report does not suggest we stop SMYL."

A trust spokesman said the SMYL campaign would be relaunched in December.