Hastings 'affected by alcohol-related deaths'

Hastings has been highlighted as one of the worst places in England for alcohol-related male deaths due to its social deprivation, according to a nationwide survey.

The North West Public Health Observatory analysed 30 of the most affluent local authorities and 30 of the most deprived ones in England.

Its results show that people living in poorer areas were more likely to die of alcohol-related illness.

Preston had the highest rate for women.

The research was carried out on behalf of all the Public Health Observatories in England and discovered men living in poorer neighbourhoods were 72% more likely to die from an alcohol related condition.

Women living in poorer areas were 58% more likely.

The figures, from 2010, show the area with the highest rate of alcohol attributable-deaths for men was Hastings, with a rate of 74 deaths per 100,000 people.

'Impact of alcohol'

For women, the local authority with the highest rate was Preston, with a rate of 33 alcohol-related deaths per 100,000 people in a year.

This was substantially higher than the number of deaths in Mendip, Somerset, which had a rate of just 7.5 deaths per 100,000 people.

A spokeswoman for NHS Sussex said the trust would continue to invest in alcohol treatment services and raise awareness of the dangers of drinking more than the national guidelines.

Clare Perkins, deputy director of the North West Public Health Observatory, said: "The impact of alcohol is a major driver in the health inequalities we see across England.

"The government's plans to introduce a minimum unit price for alcohol should be an important feature not only in tackling the harms caused by alcohol but also in addressing the overall health gap between the richest and poorest."