PEOPLE in Teesdale are living years longer than residents in some other parts of County Durham.

Statistics presented to the Teesdale Action Partnership board showed that life expectancy for men in the dale is just over 78 years, while for women it is 83.

Anna Lynch, the county's director of public health, said this was eight-and-a-half years longer than residents in Chester-le-Street could expect to live.

The statistics also showed that Teesdale has a greater number of people undergoing hip and knee replacements than was average for both the county and country.

Mrs Lynch said that while the county as a whole has higher levels of deprivation and lower life expectancy than the national average, Teesdale bucked that trend.

She said it was not just down to lifestyle choices, such as smoking, drinking and eating habits.

“Housing, education, employment, income levels and social circumstances have a massive correlation with poor health," she said.

“Lifestyle is just part of the picture – the wider factors have a far greater impact than we realised.”

Mrs Lynch said residents in more affluent areas – such as the majority of Teesdale – were more aware of the “health opportunities” available to them.

“People are not the 'worried well' but they are much more aware of their rights and opportunities to have surgery.”

She explained that recent changes meant public health now came under Durham County Council's remit rather than the NHS and said specialists within the department could help advise Teesdale and other area partnership boards when setting priorities for grant allocations.