THE Bolton News today joins forces with the Primary Care Trust to launch The BIG Bolton Health Check - a campaign that will save thousands of lives.

Health bosses estimate 10,000 people in the borough are "walking time-bombs" because they are at risk of developing heart disease within the next 10 years.

The Big Bolton Health Check aims to test 46,000 people over the next 10 months to determine whether they are at a high risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

Those who are found to have more than a one in five chance of developing heart disease can immediately be treated with either medication or lifestyle changes to dramatically reduce their risk.

The campaign is being launched by Bolton Primary Care Trust.

Dr Stephen Liversedge, chairman of its Professional Executive Committee, and a leading local GP, said: "There are 10,000 people in Bolton who are walking time-bombs. These are the people who will arrive at accident and emergency, after previously being perfectly healthy, having had a heart attack.

"The big message that we want to get across is that if people are found to be at high risk then there is something we can do about it."

Although the test is available elsewhere in the country, Bolton is aiming to become the first place in the UK - and the world - to test every resident over the age of 45 to find out if they are at risk of developing heart disease.

Health chiefs made the decision to become the first place nationally to carry out the checks because of low life expectancy in the borough and because heart disease is still the number one cause of premature death in Bolton.

Throughout Bolton the average life expectancy for men is just 74.6 years - two years below the national average - while the average woman lives for 79 years - also two years below the national average.

Life-expectancy of residents in the poorer areas of the borough is put at an average of just 67.5 years, while those living in the more affluent areas of the town have an average life-expectancy of at least 82.1 years.

Over the last two years, 41,449 people have already had the assessments, but chiefs are now working to test the remaining 46,000 people.

Those eligible must be over the age of 45 with no previous history of heart disease, stroke or diabetes.

The 10-minute health checks are being carried out in a range of places, including GP surgeries, community centres, in people's homes, in pubs, bingo halls, mosques, churches, barbers, betting shops, supermarkets and DIY stores.

Dr Liversedge said: "Healthcare in the UK currently focuses on people who are ill and we want to change that and make sure it's about keeping people healthy.

"We want to change the culture of the NHS from an unhealthy service to a healthy service."