THE mayor of a North-East town has launched a scathing attack on the makers of a television show after it was declared the country's worst place to live.

Middlesbrough mayor Ray Mallon described Channel 4 as the "enemy" after researchers ranked the worst and best places in the UK to live for the show Location Location Location.

The town was given the undesirable title of worst place to live because of its high crime levels, severe drug and health problems and poor education results.

Middlesbrough is one of the top ten places in the UK for theft from a car, theft of a car and burglary.

Its residents are paid on average an annual salary of £16,998 compared with a UK average £23,580, making it the 16th lowest salary in the UK.

Just over a fifth (20.98 per cent) of the population rent from the council, compared with an England average of 13.21 per cent

Estimates also suggest that about 27 per cent of adults in Middlesbrough binge-drink, way over the 18 per cent England national average.

And only 16 per cent of the adult population eat healthily and 10 per cent are physically active, compared with 24 per cent and 12 per cent national averages respectively.

However, Mr Mallon said the statistics on which the survey was based, which were gathered from the likes of the Home Office and the Office for National Statistics, were out of date.

He said: "Channel 4's motto is clear: don't let the facts get in the way of a good story.

"The real facts are that Middlesbrough is one of the most improving towns in the whole of the UK.

"Crime is down. We are involved in a large-scale housing market regeneration and on top of that Middlesbrough has become a destination to visit for the seven and a half million people who live within one hour and twenty minutes of the town.

"As far as Channel 4 are concerned, their researchers will have spent either no time or just a few hours looking at research statistics which are completely out of date.

"This is not evidence based, this is cheap journalism.

"Be assured I view them as an enemy of this town and I treat enemies accordingly. I find this really offensive.

"I feel they have assaulted the town for no good reason, all for a cheap television programme which is not factually based.

"Channel 4 have never requested an interview with me and, being the elected mayor, I find that incredible and, therefore, there is no balance in this at all."

Presenter Phil Spencer said: "Each year we seem to create a storm of controversy with this survey, but its all based on official data and all we do is tell you the results."

The full results of the survey are announced on Location, Location, Location: Best and Worst Live show on Wednesday at 9pm on Channel 4.

The top 20 worst list of towns in the UK, according to the show, are:

1. Middlesbrough - North East

2. Hull - Humberside

3. Newham - East London

4. Nottingham - East Midlands

5. Merthyr Tydfil - South Wales

6. North East Lincolnshire - Eastern England

7. Islington - North London

8. Blaenau Gwent - South Wales

9. Mansfield - East Midlands

10. Knowsley - Merseyside

11. Blackpool - North West

12. Hackney - East London

13. Stoke-on-Trent - Staffordshire

14. Barking and Dagenham - East London

15. Doncaster - South Yorkshire

16. Cannock Chase - Staffordshire

17. Manchester - North West

18. Haringey - North London

19. Burnley - Lancashire

20. Hartlepool - North East