THE population of the North-East is projected to fall by 50,000 over the next 25 years, according to research released today.

Predictions by the Office of National Statistics show the expected two per cent drop will take the region's population to 2.5 million by the year 2028.

Middlesbrough and Redcar and Cleveland are projected to show the largest decreases, while County Durham, Tyneside and Wearside are envisaged to show modest falls of less than five per cent.

Darlington and Stockton are both predicted to have increasing populations over the period, of between five and ten per cent, while levels in Hartlepool and Northumberland are expected to remain about the same.

The North-East population as a whole is projected to continue to age, with decreases in the younger age bands and increases in the older ages - in line with national trends.

Regional development agency One NorthEast says the prospect of a drop in the number of people living in the region is a major concern.

The Northern Way, a 20-year plan that aims to close the prosperity gap with the South, raised fears of population migration, with skilled students and workers leaving the region for better-paid jobs.

One NorthEast chief executive Alan Clarke said: "The region is fully aware that a falling population is a major issue for the North-East and the Northern Way seeks to tackle this."