Many pensioners struggle to stay warm in winter

Health forecasters say more than 2,500 in England and Wales are likely to have died in the past week from the cold.

Research published on Tuesday shows they will have died from ailments that could have been treated.

But Dr John Reid said while much money was spent on preventing deaths people needed to take precautions themselves.

The research by the Faculty of Public Health and the Met Office suggests a higher proportion of the UK's population dies as a result of the cold than in either Finland or Russia.

The researchers say the "needless" deaths put a strain on the NHS. Most are caused by heart or breathing problems brought on by the cold and damp.

Professor Sian Griffiths, President of the Faculty of Public Health, said as many as 50,000 people could die "unnecessarily" in the UK this winter.

Estimated deaths 15 to 22 December North East - 145 North West - 320 Yorkshire and Humberside - 252 East Midlands - 198 West Midlands - 272 East - 268 London - 302 South East - 410 South West - 245 Wales - 148 Source: Faculty of Public Health

"The UK remains one of the worst countries in the world at coping with unseasonal low temperatures," she said.

"Although the government has shown commitment to tackling the problem, it has not given sufficient priority to such an important public health issue and its approach remains far too uncoordinated."

But Dr Reid said the government could never do enough to prevent deaths and that people had to take precautions.

"We're already putting in a considerable amount of money and effort to assist people, particularly old people, during winter, �2,500 for insulation and central heating, �200 for winter allowance.

"But of course we can never do enough and anything like today's report that reminds people to take sensible precautions is to be welcomed."

Estimates for Northern Ireland and Scotland were unavailable.

But 2,510 people in Scotland and 1,300 people in Northern Ireland died from cold-related illnesses last winter.

Gas cut off

On Monday it emerged that an elderly couple in south London died a few weeks after their gas was cut off due to non-payment of a �140 bill.

George Bates, 89, and his 86-year old wife Gertrude were found on 18 October in the Tooting home they had shared for 64 years.

All of us must be vigilant at the moment to look out for family, friends and neighbours who may be suffering Professor Sian Griffiths Faculty of Public Health Couple with no gas found dead

British Gas said the Data Protection Act prohibited them from passing information on the situation to social services.

Former director general of Age Concern England, Baroness Greengross, called for a review of the act, saying many professionals do not understand what they can and cannot say.

The Met Office's research on cold weather deaths in the run-up to Christmas in England and Wales was led by its health forecaster, Dr William Bird.