PEOPLE living in Hampshire are among the most likely to live to a ripe old age compared with the rest of the country, according to a new survey.

Figures released by the Office of National Statistics shows people born today in the county can expect to live well into their |80s.

But health chiefs warn more should be done to root out inequalities between towns, cities and neighbourhoods within the region, where people can die three years earlier than their neighbours.

The warning comes in the wake of the Echo’s Staying Alive campaign highlighting that 13,000 people in Hampshire died before their 65th birthday from the four major killers of cancer, heart disease and stroke, and lung disease and liver disease between 2009 and 2011.

Meanwhile a leaked Govern-ment report published yesterday revealed thousands more elderly people died last year in Britain than expected. Up to 600 more people died every week – mainly in poor areas – with women aged over 85 accounting for the largest fatalities.

Life expectancy in the county is 80.8 for men – two years above the national average of 78.8 – and the highest in Britain behind neighbours Dorset, where men live to 81.1.

Meanwhile women in Hampshire are living until 84.2 – older than the national average of 82.4 – the fourth highest in the country and nearly a year behind the 85.1 average in Dorset.

The figures – based on 2009-2011 mortality rates – also show that both sexes are expected to live three years longer than expected a decade ago.

But they reveal disparities between different local authorities with men in Southampton living to 78.6 – below the national average and three years earlier than in the New Forest and Winchester (both 81.8).

The city’s men are outlived in all other Hampshire authority areas apart from Portsmouth where they are expected to die at 77.7.

Meanwhile female life expectancy in Southampton is 82.9, above the national average, but short of their neighbours in the New Forest expected to live until 85.2.

Southampton City Council health executive member Cllr Dave Shields said: “There’s a risk countywide figures disguise widening inequalities.

“There are people living many years longer than those living five minutes down the road and the austerity measures are going to increase this further and we need to keep an eye on it.”

Solent NHS Trust were unable to comment on the figures last night.