BEING born in Halton is bad for your life expectancy, a shock report has revealed.

Men born in the borough live to 74 on average compared with nearly 81 for those in well-heeled Chelsea or rural Dorset.

The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy report claims the figures prove there is a clear link between wealth and life expectancy.

Those who live in wealthy areas with well paid jobs are likely to live up to a decade longer than those from deprived areas with high levels of unemployment.

CSP chief executive Phil Gray said: 'It is sadly still a fact of life that the poorer die younger. Lifespan should not be determined by wealth in 2006.

'Physiotherapists want to see health inequalities become a feature of the past.

'To ensure that length of life is more equitable across the UK, the CSP is calling on everyone involved in the delivery of health-care to place more emphasis on ill-health prevention strategies and put the removal of inequality at the top of the health agenda.

Halton has the tenth lowest adult life expectancy in the North West, with an average age of 74.1 for men and 78.1 for women.

Manchester is ranked worst with men living to 72 and women 77. Liverpool is ranked third worst with Warrington 27th.

Boys born in Glasgow City have the lowest UK life expectancies and can only expect to reach 69.3.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Health said: 'The Government is determined to reduce health inequalities.'