A CAMPAIGN aimed at reducing heart disease in the North-East took an important step forward yesterday.

The Northern Echo's award-winning A Chance To Live campaign was extended with the launch of a partnership in Darlington.

It follows the formation last year of a partnership in Wear Valley aimed at promoting exercise and healthy eating.

Darlington MP Alan Milburn, the former health secretary, backed the extension at the town's Dolphin Centre.

During his time as health secretary, Mr Milburn made the treatment of heart disease a national priority, and yesterday he acknowledged that The Northern Echo's campaign had influenced Government policy.

Four years after he announced a national plan for heart disease treatment, death rates are falling, millions are on preventative drugs and the wait for a bypass operation has fallen from 18 months to six months.

Darlington has some of the most progressive heart policies in the country, but the town's primary care trust and borough council have come together to take it further with A Chance To Live.

The aim is to encourage people in Darlington to eat sensibly, take regular exercise, stop smoking and look after their hearts.

Father-of-two Ian Weir, from Darlington, a photographer on The Northern Echo, died of a heart attack in 1999 after he waited seven months for bypass surgery.

In response, The Northern Echo launched a campaign for the maximum waiting time for a heart bypass operation to be reduced to three months.

Last year, the campaign changed focus to disease prevention when The Northern Echo joined with Wear Valley District Council, Durham Dales Primary Care Trust and Northumbrian Water.

As a result, there has been a large increase in people taking part in exercise, including The Great North Walk.

Darlington Primary Care Trust and Darlington Borough Council are hoping to repeat that success with events such at the 10k Road Run.

An impressive programme of health promotion in schools and the community was unveiled by the joint Darlington team yesterday.

Mr Milburn said: "The Northern Echo has really made a huge difference with this campaign. It is very rare for a local newspaper to influence national policy, but that is what it has done."

Northern Echo editor Peter Barron said: "Ian is not forgotten and this campaign will make sure of that. Hopefully we can make a success of it together."

During the launch, the audience watched a display of skipping by children from St Bede's Primary School and exercise to music by the Get Everyone Motivated group.

Read more about the Chance to Live campaign here.