Heart specialists in the region are warning the Government that substantial extra investment will be needed in the near future.

Millions have already gone on expanding heart units at James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough and the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle.

This has resulted in a steady rise in the number of heart bypass operations carried out in the region and a reduction in waiting times from 18 months to around six months.

But now heart specialists are calling for additional investment to meet growing demand for angioplasty procedures.

So far the main increase in heart procedures has been in bypass operations which require conventional operating theatres.

But changes in the way patients with coronary heart disease are being treated means there needs to be a dramatic increase in the number of angioplasty procedures.

Angioplasty involves passing a thin tube up the vascular system through a small incision in the groin.

Once the narrowed artery is reached, doctors can use a balloon to widen the vessel.

Angioplasty is carried out in a special area known as a catheter lab.

Currently, the North-East's major heart hospitals do not have enough catheter labs to cope with the expected demand.

Dr Jim Hall, a consultant cardiologist at James Cook hospital and the co-ordinator of the North-East cardiac modernisation programme, said: "The good news is that we are continuing to expand and waiting times are coming down, but we are predicting a rising demand for angioplasty."

"We will certainly need further expansion of catheter labs in the region and we have told the Department of Health about this," he added. The warning of the need for extra investment coincided with National Heart Week.

Today, Darlington will join the on-going campaign led by The Northern Echo to fight heart disease.

Darlington Primary Care Trust and Darlington Borough Council is joining the AChance To Live campaign which is already backed by Wear Valley District Council, Durham Dales Primary Care Trust and Northumbrian Water.

Launched in 1999 to try to cut waiting times for heart surgery, the focus has now moved on to disease prevention.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Health said: "We are aware of the need for catheter labs and a number are being built at hospitals around the country."