MORE than 1,600 Derbyshire people are likely to die of heart disease this year.

The British Heart Foundation has released new figures to raise awareness of the illness, which is England's single biggest killer.

The figures were released to coincide with National Heart Month, which runs throughout February.

The charity has given the average number of deaths in each of Derbyshire's nine local authority areas, with the greatest number in Derby.

On average, 334 people in the city die each year as a result of the illness.

That may be partly explained by the fact that the city is home to about a quarter of the county's population.

It is also widely accepted that heart disease is more common in deprived areas.

A third possible reason for Derby having a high figure is that heart disease is more common among Asian people, because of both genetics and lifestyle.

Last month, Derby was given official Heart City status by the British Heart Foundation, marking the start of a major awareness campaign.

The charity has also revealed there were 230 deaths a year in Amber Valley, 174 in the Derbyshire Dales, 146 in Erewash and 128 in South Derbyshire, based on death rates between 2008 and 2010.

These figures were an improvement on the previous yearly average for Derby, down from 415, Erewash, down from 183, and South Derbyshire, down from 135.

But the previous averages were lower in Derbyshire Dales, at 133, and Amber Valley, at 219.

A spokesman for the charity said there could be a variety of reasons for the changing death rates.

He said: "These don't take into account population variations, such as the number of people or the age profile.

"The age structure of a place can change over time, affecting average number of deaths."

In the East Midlands, the rate of heart disease deaths is 166 per 100,000 people.

Across the country, the rate ranges from 144 in the south east to 194 in the north west.

Sophie Jardine, the charity's fund-raising and volunteer manager in Derbyshire, said the figures gave "a snapshot of the state of the nation's heart health".

She said: "They show that, every year, more than 68,499 men and women in England lose their lives to heart disease, the country's single biggest killer.

"Whether you have high blood pressure or high cholesterol we are working to ensure these conditions can one day be eliminated."

During National Heart Month, the foundation will hold its annual Red for Heart fund-raising campaign.

People are being encouraged to get their work colleagues, school friends or local community to wear red on Friday, February 24, and make a donation to the charity.

Among those supporting the campaign are staff and students at the University of Derby's Kedleston Road site, where the main staircase will be lit up in red every night throughout February.

For more details about how to take part in the Red for Heart campaign, visit www.bhf.org.uk/red.

To order a free fund-raising kit, call 0300 330 0645.