AN EAST Lancashire borough has been revealed as having the highest recorded rates of diabetes in the county.

In a report released by leading charity Diabetes UK, Blackburn with Darwen was found to have the most diagnosed cases.

8.4 per cent of the area's population – or one in every 12 people – have the condition.

Over 100,000 people throughout the whole of Lancashire are now living with diabetes, a rise of an estimated 4,857 cases since last year.

Stephen Ryan, head of the north at Diabetes UK said: “Unless we act, and urgently, diabetes prevalence will continue to rise.

“Both type one and two diabetes are serious conditions that can lead to devastating complications such as amputation, blindness, kidney disease, stroke and heart disease if people don’t take the right care.”

While both types of diabetes are linked to genetics, Type one is not associated with weight, whereas Type two is linked to obesity.

Currently in the UK three in five women and two in three men are considered as overweight or obese.

“We need to end the marketing of unhealthy food to children and make sure the food all of us eat is healthier,” said Mr Ryan.

This call to end the marketing of unhealthy food comes just a day after Cancer Research UK made similar pushes for a 9pm watershed on TV junk food advertising in a bid to cut down on rates of obesity in the UK.

To find out more go to www.diabetes.org.uk