More children die prematurely in poor areas, according to the latest research by the York-based Joseph Rowntree Foundation.

The foundation's latest report, published today, has looked at the "health gap" between the richest and poorest parts of Britain.

And it concludes that reducing poverty could prevent more than 10,000 premature deaths each year - including more than 1,000 child deaths.

Researchers from the Universities of Leeds and Bristol used figures from every parliamentary constituency in England, Scotland and Wales to identify areas where the number of deaths of people under 65 was above the national average.

They found that the highest number of "excess" deaths happened in the poorest areas, and that more children died in areas where child poverty was highest.

It said Government policies to tackle poverty could have a major impact in making Britain more equal in health, as well as in wealth.

The report suggests that:

Returning inequalities in income and wealth to their 1983 levels through redistribution would prevent about 7,500 annual deaths among the under 65s;

Achieving full employment, where no-one was receiving long-term unemployment benefit, would prevent about 2,500 premature deaths a year;

Reaching the Government's target of eradicating child poverty within a generation would save the lives of about 1,400 children under 15 each year.

Broken down into constituencies, the study argues that 22 deaths of under 65s could be prevented in York every year, 16 in Ryedale, 17 in Selby, 15 in the Vale of York and 13 in Harrogate and Knaresborough.