NEW figures just released suggest that if you live in certain areas of Worcester, the chances are you won't live as long as people in other parts of county.

Where most people in the county reach, on average, the grand old age of 78, people in Warndon and Tolladine will be lucky to get to 75.

The primary care trust is now ploughing £2.4 million into creating some kind of equality across the county, but is there any point when - if today's front page story is anything to go by - people just can't be bothered?

We've all made those healthy new year resolutions to cut back on smoking or eat less junk at some time in our lives, but things like that take willpower and the vast majority of good intentions fall by the wayside pretty quickly.

We can't see this being much different for those who go for the county's health trainers or vow to seek out healthy eating advice sessions.

Sooner or later, for most people, there will be something better on TV or they will be just that little bit too tired. And so the rot will set in.

So the PCT, with all its laudable intentions, will quite likely be wasting most of its money.

We say the ultimate answer, as it usually does, lies with the Government. Deprived areas need better housing, they need more appealing communities, they need better school provisions and more - only then will residents begin to feel good about themselves.

That way they might just start to take better care of themselves and their families...

...and live longer as a result.