MORE than 500 people in Redditch died prematurely between 2014 and 2016, official statistics have revealed.

According to latest figures from the Office of National Statistics 536 residents died under the age of 74 from conditions deemed preventable, treatable or both - through timely and effective healthcare or public interventions.

Deaths deemed avoidable include those from health conditions such as heart disease, some cancers, respiratory diseases and type 2 diabetes - where lifestyle and environment may have contributed - and those that could have been prevented such as HIV/AIDS, accidental and self-inflicted injuries, various infections and drug use disorders.

The figures show the rate of premature deaths was 220.1 per 100,000 in Redditch, compared to affluent Chiltern in Buckinghamshire where the avoidable death rate was the lowest at 137.9 and Manchester where it was highest at 388.

For men in Redditch, the death rate was 281.8 (339 deaths) but for women it was considerably lower at 161.4 (197 deaths).

According to BBC analysis of the figures – there was a strong correlation between the rate of avoidable deaths and the level of deprivation in an area.

Redditch ranks 157 out of 326 local authorities for levels of deprivation - with one being the most deprived; while Manchester is one of the most deprived local authority areas in the country - with Chiltern ranking among the least deprived.