A FLU jab campaign has led to a slump in the number of deaths last winter, Worces-tershire Health Authority has claimed.

The authority's campaign reached more than 70 per cent of pensioners, equivalent to 61,500 of the area's 88,000 over 65s.

The vaccination rate, together with a mild winter, led to the death rate among old folk in residential care falling from 10 a week in 2000 to eight a week.

Authority chief executive Pat Archer-Jones said: "Our plans to prepare for the pressures which winter always brings were well organised and the most successful for years.

"We encountered times when the pressures were severe but with extra resources we were able to cope."

The pressure on the county health service peaked during mid-March - six weeks later than usual.

Mrs Archer-Jones said: "We can't claim everything was perfect - sometimes patients had to stay longer than planned in intensive therapy or high dependency beds, leading to major operation cancellations.

"However, we aim to minimise these occasions."