PEOPLE in the North-East are most 'in the dark' when it comes to kidney disease, according to a national survey.

The poll of more than 2,000 adults across the country was carried out by Kidney Research UK - the UK's leading funder of research into the treatment and prevention of kidney disease.

Despite being one of the UK's fastest growing illnesses, 93 per cent of people from the North-East have little or no knowledge of kidney disease, its causes or its symptoms.

Worse still, although kidney disease can affect anyone at any age 71 per cent think the illness poses no threat to them, while 26 per cent say they are unsure.

Just two per cent believe they are at risk, despite 28 per cent confirming that they suffer with one of the three leading causes of kidney disease - diabetes, high blood pressure or vascular disease.

In Yorkshire and Humber 87 per cent had little or no knowledge of kidney disease.

Sandra Currie, chief executive of Kidney Research UK, said: "This survey highlights a deeply worrying lack of awareness in the North-East More than three million people in the UK are at risk from chronic kidney disease (CKD), while 51,000 require some form of renal replacement therapy for kidney failure - a 20 per cent increase since 2006.

If caught early enough, the damage done by some forms of kidney disease can be slowed, stopped or even reversed. However, because it displays few symptoms, many patients go undiagnosed until their kidneys fail completely, which is why kidney disease is known as a 'silent killer'.

Kidney Research UK is rolling out a special package of diagnosis and treatment aids to help achieve this.

For more information visit: www.kidneyresearchuk