SPRIGHTLY residents of a rural suburb could live TWICE as long as those living 220 miles away on a dockside housing estate.
New figures show that newborn girls growing up in Moreton Hall on the outskirts of Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, could reach their 128th birthday. But in shocking contrast, the life expectancy for girls in the Middlehaven area of Middlesbrough is 71.7, according to figures released this week by the Office For National Statistics.
And for middle-aged men on the Northern estate, where single mum Victoria Baker and her son Adrian live, left, the story is even bleaker - they can only expect to live until they're 62.
ANTONELLA LAZZERI headed to the Suffolk town and RYAN PILOT visited Middlehaven to see how the UK's best and worst places for life expectancy compare.
Middlehaven, Middlesbrough
FAST food, drink and unemployment appear to be sapping the life out of Middlehaven.
Situated just outside Middlesbrough's busy town centre, young people roam the streets while smoking, drinking cheap alcohol and dealing drugs.
The area's main street, Borough Road, boasts five takeaways in just 200 yards.
The estate is even famous for inventing its own fast food, the Parmo - deep-fried chicken covered in bechamel sauce and cheese.
Single mum Victoria Baker, 19, is desperate to find a job so she can escape the poverty and improve the quality of life for her young son.
She recently finished a course in childcare at college and volunteers in a charity shop to gain work experience. Despite living off benefits, she tries to buy the healthiest food she can for her 13- month-old son Adrian.
Boredom leads to alcohol ... Stephen Harker and Tooley Russell
North News & PicturesVictoria says: "There's too many fast food outlets and parents can't be bothered to cook so they just send their kids to get take-aways instead.
"It's rare that we get a take-away - they are too expensive. This place has a really bad drink and drugs problems. It needs more youth clubs.
"You even see eight-year-olds on the streets with cans of lager on an evening because their parents can't be bothered with them.
"It's shocking to think Adrian could have a short life but I'm going to make sure he doesn't."
Retired scaffolder Dave Weston, 67, is more than five years over the average life expectancy for a man his age in Middlehaven.
And he reckons he and his wife Jacqueline, 62, are among the oldest folk in the area.
Dave says: "It doesn't surprise me that people don't live long here. Most people here aren't old.
"People don't eat the food they should be eating. They turn to drugs and drink.
"We have police raiding homes for drug dealers every other week."
Grandma-of-five Jacqueline adds: "We love a Parmo ourselves but it's about everything in moderation."
However, the short life expectancy doesn't bother unemployed Sarah Gibson, 19. She says: "You've got to live life to the full. You could die the next day. I'm not bothered about living healthily, I just do what I want."
Location, location, location ... can add years to your life
Stephen Harker, 25, is also unemployed. He can't find a job and spends his days drinking in the street because he claims there's nothing else to do.
He says: "It's a dump around here. Someone needs to get it sorted otherwise it's going to be riddled with crime."
His friend Tooley Russell, 22, adds: "People live really unhealthily. They can't find jobs so they get bored and eat. They live off takeaways. You'll find a takeaway on every corner."
Diamond Road on the run-down terraced estate has an entire side of boarded-up houses.
The area has no trees or parks and residents complain there are no community facilities. There are plenty of parking spaces but these are largely empty as the jobless majority can't afford to drive.
The area's main pub is boarded-up as residents turn to the cheaper option of buying their own drink at one of the many off-licences selling cut-price booze.
This includes large bottles of cheap perry, costing less than £2, which locals swig in the street.
A regeneration project is earmarked for Middlehaven.
Hopefully, this will change things for the better in years to come.
Moreton Hall, Suffolk
THE parents of six-month-old Daisy Lee can look forward to their daughter having a long and wonderful life.
In fact, if the study is to be believed, she could live to be 128.
Mum Fiona, 32, loves life in the Bury St Edmunds suburb of Moreton Hall in Suffolk and says: "We know we live in one of the best places in Britain. It's wonderful. You couldn't find a happier place.
Relaxed and healthy lifestyle ... landlady Georgina Barnes
Albanpix.com"We moved here because it's such a great place to bring up children - but I didn't know they were supposed to live that long."
She and husband Marcus, 38, a builder, are enjoying a drink in the Moreton Hall pub.
And landlady Georgina Barnes, 53, believes she knows why many of her locals are OAPs.
She says: "It's the beer, isn't it? Actually I think it's more that this is such a chilled-out area. It's really laid-back, stress-free. I've never lived anywhere so relaxed.
"We very rarely get any trouble here. People don't even mind having to wait for their drinks. And the crime rate is really low."
On the wall is a plaque honouring two of the pub's regulars - Percy and Mary.
Georgina says: "Percy's 92 and Mary is 89 but they come in here every day without fail. He has a couple of pints of London Pride and she has two glasses of wine. They act and look like they're in their sixties. This week they're off having a break in Bournemouth.
Living it up ... locals Rachel and Holly
Albanpix.com"One of my other regulars is Dave. He's 97 and every night he comes here on the dot of 10.35 and has a pint of IPA. He walks here from home and back again."
The pensioners of Moreton Hall do seem a lively lot. Over at the community hall there are three message boards full of activities including a weekly tea dance, yoga and Pilates. There's also indoor bowls, slimming clubs, dance classes and race nights.
Walking around the area, it's easy to spot many of the sprightly older generation.
At 84, Eileen Hutchings looks at least 20 years younger and credits her twice-daily sessions with the local dog-walking club for keeping her fit.
Most of her companions are half her age but she manages to keep up with them.
She says: "I think the secret to longevity is keeping fit and socialising.
"I go to the Tuesday Club without fail, which is for us old gits. We do all sorts. It's one of the few places in Britain that still has a strong community spirit and that really means a lot."
Vicar Jonathan Ford is only too aware of Moreton Hall's fame for having the longest life expectancy in Britain. He says: "There are no funeral directors here, they wouldn't have any business.
"A lot of my congregation are in their eighties and nineties but I doubt if I do ten funerals a year."
Nine-year-old twins Christopher and Jonathan Hammond moved to Moreton Hall from a remote country village. They love it and say they've become much healthier since moving to the area.
Christopher says: "Our old home was so far from everywhere. Mum didn't like us going on our bikes but here we cycle everywhere."
Sisters Holly and Rachel Bradley go to Moreton Hall Prep School, where a monthly Fitness Friday sees all the pupils go in wearing PE kit instead of uniform.
Both girls love the outdoor life but even so they are horrified by the thought of living to 128.
Rachel, nine, says: "Oh no, that would be awful.
"I like being healthy but I don't want to live that long."
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