AS part of Cold Homes Week Age UK’s is to hold a candlelit vigil in memory of the older people who have died from cold in Hambleton and Richmondshire over the past decade.

The vigil is being held on Thursday, February 4 at a coffee morning at the Age UK offices in Northallerton High Street, as part of the Warm Homes campaign being held across the country.

Every year in North Yorkshire it is estimated more than 430 people die in the winter months, with one elderly person dying every seven minutes in Britain, from cold related illnesses.

A spokesman for Age UK said: "With just under one million older people living in fuel poverty, many simply cannot afford to heat their homes to a sufficient temperature in order to keep warm and well.

“Many of these deaths and health problems could be prevented if everyone lived in a warm home. This is why Age UK is calling on the Government to reform its energy efficiency programmes to enable all older people to live in a warm home.

“Age UK’s Campaign for Warm Homes is calling on the Government to commit to bringing at least two million low income households up to EPC Band C by 2020 and all households to an A or B rating by 2030.”