A DISTRICT on Tony Blair's doorstep has been dubbed one of the worst places to live in Britain, according to a study.

The former mining heartland of the district of Easington, in County Durham, which lies partly in the Prime Minister's Sedgefield constituency, is reported to have the poorest quality of life in the UK.

The study, by consumer information company Experian, scores quality of life by looking at crime, education and health.

Easington, with a ranking of 80 points, is joint worst, with Barking and Dagenham in the South-East.

Experian said both areas were still suffering after losing their heavy industry.

The decline of mining in the North-East and the loss of car manufacturing in the South dealt the areas a severe economic blow.

Alan Napier, leader of Easington District Council, admitted the district had problems with housing, health and crime.

But he argued that chronic underfunding was to blame for the area's plight.

"We can demonstrate that we have the worst chronic ill health in the country, but our primary care trust is only funded at 80 per cent of the maximum," he said.

"Whereas somewhere like Gloucester, which does not have half our problems, is funded at 114 per cent.

"Five of the worst affected wards are in Tony Blair's own constituency. It is ludicrous."

South Tyneside is also in the top ten worst places to live, scoring just five more points than Easington.

The best place to live, according to the survey, is the Chilterns, north-west of London. The area, which is home to celebrities including singers Ozzie Osbourne and Noel Gallagher and broadcaster Jeremy Paxman, scored 122 points.

But the survey also lists Easington as one of the cheapest place for property, with an average house price of £45,854, compared with £65,000 in South Tyneside and the average of £295,000 needed to become a neighbour of Ozzie Osbourne.