A HIGH proportion of the region's historic buildings are at risk from decay and neglect because of a North-South divide in prosperity, it has been claimed.

English Heritage warned yesterday that fewer buildings and monuments in the North-East and North Yorkshire have been removed from their Register for Buildings at Risk because of limited resources.

David Lovie, English Heritage's historic buildings inspector, said: "The North-East has 123 buildings on the list, which is a lot for an underpopulated region.

"People talk about a North-South divide and that's certainly the case here. This is not a wealthy region.

"Some of the properties are in worse condition than others. We are working closely with the conservation officers on local authorities to help high risk buildings.

"These buildings are part of our cultural heritage, if we lose them, we risk losing our identity."

Nationally, 98 outstanding historic buildings were added to a list of 1,500 Grade I and II heritage assets suffering decay and neglect.

Across the country, 3.6 per cent of Grade I and II listed buildings remain at risk - but that figure soars to 8.5 per cent in the North-East.

In the area, 11 buildings or monuments have been removed from the register during the past year, but there were three new additions, including the former Harperly prisoner of war camp, near Wolsingham, County Durham. In North Yorkshire, 69 outstanding historic buildings are listed.

Peter Bromley, director of English Heritage in the North-East, said: "The cream of the nation's architectural inheritance is being squandered through neglect and lack of awareness.

The 2003 North-East survey was launched at Kirkleatham Hall, near Redcar, east Cleveland, which has four entries on the register.

Other sites in the North-East featuring in the list include a former phosphate rock silo at the former ICI site at Haverton Hill, Billingham, on Teesside; Sockburn Hall, near Darlington, Durham Castle and the Bowes Museum, in Barnard Castle.

In North Yorkshire, entries include the Obelisk at Castle Howard, Trinity Church Tower, in Richmond, and the Old Gang Smelt Mill, near Reeth.

Mr Lovie added: "The public should not become complacent. As time passes, the decay never stops, either because of the weather or vandalism, and you get into a spiral of decline."