DIFFERENCES in prosperity between the North-East and the south show no signs of narrowing, countryside campaigners have warned.

Economic output per person in the region is about two-thirds that of London and the South-East, according to a report released by the Council for the Protection of Rural England.

Those areas' affluence translates into them gaining more advantages, says the study.

The report called Even Regions, Greener Growth says that in the south and east of the country, the greater level of skills, investment, innovation and enterprise mean they keep winning the lion's share of university graduates, research and development expenditure and foreign investment.

But regions at the lower end such as the North-East tended to lose people, especially those of working age with job skills and educational qualifications.

Public services came under pressure as deprivation grew and large areas of land were left derelict or contaminated, as industries collapsed or moved away.

Eventually, thousands of homes became abandoned in inner cities and peripheral estates.